Our Clinic is equipped with the best and most comprehensive arrhythmia management services available in the metroplex. These services are listed below
1. Holter monitoring:
Holter monitoring is available for all our patients. We have the ability to do 12 lead holters. This technology helps localize the site of origin of many arrhythmias. Heart rate variability studies are included with our holter monitoring.
2. Tilt Table Test:
We can do tilt table tests in our office. We use beat by beat blood pressure monitoring for our tilts. We usually measure cardiac output and thoracic fluid content using Impedance Cardiography (www.cardiodynamics.com)
3. Pulmonary Function Tests:
Patients who are on amiodarone require serial pulmonary function tests. In order to avoid inter-observer variations, we do our own pulmonary function tests with DLCO (diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide). If you are a patient of the heartbeat clinic and you are on amiodarone, you will have your medication adjusted in the same visit. We can do corrected DLCO using our own point of care hemoglobin testing.
4. Sleep Study Tests
We offer Home Sleep Monitors as well as an in-house full sleep lab. We perform Polysomnography and CPAP Titrations.
5. Signal Average EKG:
This is special type of electrocardiogram that is required in some cases to assess the risk of life threatening arrhythmias. We are the only practice in the area with this capability.
6. P wave signal averaging:
This is new technology and still in clinical research. It is used to measure hi resolution signals in the upper chamber of the heart. We use it for our research purposes primarily.
7. Impedance Cardiography:
This non-invasive technique measures the cardiac output and stroke volume (amount of blood pumped per heartbeat). We use it for autonomic function testing, assessment of shortness of breath and for fine tuning pacemakers.
8. Microvolt T wave Alternans:
This technique is used to evaluate the risk of sudden death. The leads are hooked up and then patient is asked to walk on a treadmill. The heart rate is kept between 100 and 110 for 2 minutes 30 seconds and then between 110 and 120 for 1 minute and 30 seconds. This test has a very negative predictive value to rule out sudden death. This is a new test and is in ongoing clinical research.
9. Carotid Doppler and Transcranial Dopplers:
For our patients with unexplained fainting spells, we have the ability to assess the extra-cranial circulation and blood inflow thru the brain non-invasively.
10. Stress Test:
We have ability to do chemical as well as exercise stress tests.
11. 24 hour blood pressure:
We have ability to do 24 hour monitoring of blood pressure for our patients. We use this technique to diagnose white coat hypertension and work-up of low blood pressure or labile blood pressure.
12. Autonomic Nervous System Testing:
We have ability to analyze cardiac response to various physiological stimuli. In this regard we can do inspiration to expiration ratio, posture index and valsalva ratio.
13. Metabolic Stress Testing:
This technique is invaluable to assess cause of unexplained shortness of breath. We are the only practice in North Dallas to perform this study. This gives us the ability to pre-screen our patient with defibrillators.
14. Vascular Testing:
We offer vascular Doppler ultrasound such as renal, AAA, celiac, upper and lower extremity to look for any atherosclerosis.