Presentation 5: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures

By: Julianne Mangan

Stress Testing

• Also called an exercise test or treadmill test.• This procedure evaluates cardiovascular

fitness during physical stress. • The patient is asked to exercise by

walking/running on a treadmill or pedaling a bicycle to make the heart work hard and beat fast at a steadily increasing level.

• An electrocardiogram (EKG) and oxygen levels are recorded to diagnose a patients problem.

• A stress test will detect the following:– Abnormal changes in heart rate or blood pressure– Shortness of breath or chest pain– Abnormal changes in heart rhythm or electrical

activity• The test is stopped if the patient cannot

exercise for as long as what is considered “normal” for the patient’s age.

Thrombolytic Therapythromb/o= clot

-lytic= destruction

• This is a process in which drugs are injected into a blood vessel to break up or dissolve a blood clot and restore blood flow.

• Thrombolytic medications are typically used for the immediate treatment of stroke or heart attack.

• Ideally, a patient should be given the medication within the first 30 minutes of receiving treatment.

• The most commonly used thrombolytic drug is tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), however other drugs include streptokinase (SK), staphylokinase, reteplase, lenotaplase, and tenecteplase.

• Depending on the severity, additional therapy such as catheterization or angioplasty may be needed to restore blood flow.

Doppler Ultrasonographyultra- =beyondson/o =sound

-graphy =process of recording

• This test uses ultrasound to look at the blood flow through the blood vessels.

• With the use of a transducer, the ultrasound will measure sound-wave echoes as they bounce of tissues and organs to produce an image that demonstrates the appearance of blood clots or deep vein thromboses.

• Normal results would mean there are no signs of narrowing, blockage or clots in the blood vessels and arteries have normal blood flow.

References • "Doppler Ultrasound Exam of an Arm or Leg: MedlinePlus Medical

Encyclopedia." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 07 Apr. 2014. Web. 17 June 2015. (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003775.htm )

• Medical Terminology: A Living Language. 5th ed. New Jersey: Pearson, 2013. 137-65. Print.

• "Thrombolytic Therapy: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 13 May 2014. Web. 17 June 2015. (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007089.htm )

• "What Is Stress Testing?" - NHLBI, NIH. U.S Department of Health and Human Services, 14 Dec. 2011. Web. 17 June 2015. (https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/stress )