Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Cardiac Diagnostics
phone: 573-468-2993, fax: 573-468-2530
Visiting cardiologists from the The Heart Center at Missouri Baptist staff a cardiology specialty clinic in Sullivan, Missouri four days each week. They are supported by a full continuum — with the exception of heart transplants — of hospital-based heart services.
The Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Department is a medically supervised and monitored exercise and education program for people with either heart or chronic lung disease. The facility is equipped with treadmills, stationary bikes, cross trainers, elliptical and free weights. The cardiopulmonary rehabilitation team includes your personal physician, the Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital medical director, registered nurses, respiratory therapists, registered cardiac sonographers and other support members. The Cardiac Diagnostic Laboratory offers a wide range of cardiac testing.
Cardiac Diagnostics
Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital Cardiac Diagnostic Services offer a complete range of tests to help your physician diagnose and treat heart problems. Our state-of-the art equipment enables our team to be on the forefront of technological advancements, offering a range of cardiac testing with convenient appointments and quick results. Board certified cardiologists interpret all of the diagnostic tests.
We are dedicated to providing unparalleled and exceptional customer service to our patients and we work closely with your physician to address your health care and evaluation needs.
Why Your Doctor May Order a Cardiac Diagnostic Procedure
If your doctor suspects you may have a heart condition that needs further evaluation, a diagnostic test may be ordered. These diagnostic tests are used to help determine the cause of your symptoms. There is no one diagnostic test that will figure out everything that might be happening, so if you're experiencing complicated symptoms, you may need several diagnostic tests.
Here at Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital, you'll get expert cardiology evaluation and follow-up for everything from arrhythmias and chest pain to fainting and congenital heart defects. Typical cardiac diagnostic tests include the following:
24-hour Holter Monitor
A Holter monitor is a machine that continuously records the heart's rhythms for 24 hours. Electrodes attached to your chest record heart rhythms to a small monitor that fits in your pocket or small pouch worn around your neck or waist. While you wear the monitor, it records your heart's electrical activity, while you keep a diary of your activities during the day and how you feel. You will return to MBSH 24 hours later to have the electrodes removed and to return the Holter Monitor.
Long-term Event Recorder
This simple, painless procedure has proved to be an effective tool for detecting cardiac problems. Your doctor may decide that you need a long-term cardiac event monitor, which is worn for 30 days. During that time, when you feel a symptom, you press a button and the EKG is stored in the monitor's memory. The cardiac event monitor is easy to wear and operate, and it can be reapplied by the patient after bathing or showering.
Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram, or echo, is a non-invasive, painless procedure that uses ultrasound to provide pictures of the heart's valves and chambers and surrounding blood vessels. The test enables the technician and physician to evaluate the pumping action of the heart. At MBSH, our expert staff perform two types of echocardiograms. Your doctor will determine which is best for you.
- 2D Echocardiogram with Doppler: Doppler ultrasound can be used to evaluate blood flow across the heart's valves. The Doppler technique uses high-frequency ultrasound to produce a color-enhanced image of the heart. The procedure lasts about one hour.
- Transesophageal Echo (TEE): During a TEE, a transducer is inserted down the throat into the esophagus. The esophagus is located close to the heart, which allows for clear images of the heart. The procedure generally lasts about two hours.
Stress Testing
Stress testing provides information about how your heart works during physical stress. Some heart problems are easier to diagnose when your heart is working hard and beating fast. You may not have any signs or symptoms of heart disease when your heart is at rest.
Your heart has to work harder during exercise because it needs more blood and oxygen. During stress testing, you walk or run on a treadmill to make your heart work hard and beat fast.
At Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital, we offer several methods of stress testing. Your doctor will determine what's appropriate for your condition.
- Routine Stress Test: During a stress test, you will be asked to walk on a treadmill. Your heartbeat will be recorded during rest and exercise. Initially, you will walk slowly and you will be asked to walk more quickly up a graduated incline so that the physician is able to see how your heart responds to strenuous exercise.
- Stress Echocardiogram: A stress echocardiogram starts with a resting echocardiogram. Then you will be asked to walk on a treadmill and at certain intervals, will be asked to walk faster and on an incline. Your blood pressure and heart rhythm are monitored throughout the procedure. Additional echocardiogram images are taken as your heart rate increases. The images will show whether any parts of the heart muscle do not work as well as your heart rate increases.
- Dobutamine Stress Echocardiogram: For patients unable to exercise on a treadmill for a stress test, a physician may use an intravenous medication called dobutamine, a medication that will stimulate your heart, causing it to beat faster and mimicking the effects of exercise on the heart. As with a stress echocardiogram, we monitor your blood pressure and heart rhythm and take images of your heart as your heart rate increase.
- Exercise Nuclear Stress Test: This test is very similar to the exercise stress test, except you will receive a small amount of a radioactive imaging substance such as thallium or sestamibi through an intravenous line. Images of your heart are taken before exercise to show how the substance has flowed through your blood to your heart. After exercising on a treadmill, a second set of images is taken to compare to the resting set of images. The substance can show areas of low blood flow through the heart and areas of damaged heart muscle.
- Lexiscan Nuclear Stress Test: If your doctor wants you to have a nuclear stress test but you're unable to exercise adequately, you will receive Lexiscan, a prescription drug to increase the blood flow to the heart. The doctor then will administer a small amount of a radioactive substance such as thallium or sestamibi through an intravenous line. Images of your heart are taken to show how the substance has flowed through your blood to your heart. The substance can show areas of low blood flow through the heart and areas of damages heart muscle.
To schedule an outpatient diagnostic test, call us at 573-468-4151