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Testing

physician and older patientHealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley uses advanced services, equipment, technologies and facilities to diagnose and treat cardiac conditions. We offer a variety of cardiac testing, including:

Echocardiogram

The echocardiogram is a painless, safe and highly effective way to produce images of a beating heart—using the same technology that obstetricians use when they view a new baby as it develops in the womb. There is no discomfort at all. In fact, many find it fascinating to watch the video monitors showing pictures of their own heart at work. The echocardiogram is a reliable way to evaluate heart anatomy, structural abnormalities and function, as well as to help diagnose various causes of chest pain, breathing difficulties and dysrhythmias.

Cholesterol Test

The first thing you should know about cholesterol is that it is an important component of the body. It is vital to the structure and function of cells, and it is an important building block in the formation of certain types of hormones. However, one can have too much of a good thing. In fact, when cholesterol and triglycerides – another type of fat in the bloodstream – become too high, a person runs the risk of developing fatty deposits, called plaque. These deposits eventually clog your arteries preventing proper blood flow, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Finding out how much cholesterol you have is very easy. Regular blood tests to measure cholesterol levels are the first step in helping prevent a heart attack. Before providing a blood sample for the cholesterol test, one must fast for at least eight hours.

Electrocardiogram (ECG, EKG)

An ECG or EKG is a diagnostic test used to detect heart disease. It is a non-invasive test where small electrode patches are attached to the body to measure the electrical impulses produced by the heart. These impulses cause the heart to contract and relax. Each wave of the impulse represents a different area of the heart. By understanding and interpreting the patterns of impulses, a doctor can diagnose several abnormal heart conditions. Some of the information this test provides includes: heart rate and heart rhythm, heart attack, blood and oxygen supply, and any electrical abnormalities.

Stress Test

Stress testing is actually an EKG test, but performed while one is exercising. The test is done on a treadmill or stationary bike. By monitoring the heart while a person is moving (unlike an EKG which is done while not moving), a physician can determine the heart’s function and its limits. This is a good way to detect blocked coronary arteries before a heart attack occurs.

Holter Monitoring

In many ways, Holter monitoring is a continuation of the stress test because it monitors the heart while a person is mobile, but it does so over a 24-hour period, while a person goes about his or her normal activities. A small recorder, the size of a beeper, is attached to a belt (or strapped onto the body). This provides the physician with accurate data about the patient’s heart over a sustained period of time.

Tilt Test

Tilt table tests assist a physician in determining why one experiences fainting spells, lightheadedness or dizziness when the electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor does not reveal an arrhythmia. A tilt-table test enables a doctor to monitor a person’s blood pressure, heart rate and heart rhythm while he or she is moved from lying down to an upright position. This test is based on the fact that normal physiological reflexes cause the heart rate and blood pressure to change when you change postures, ensuring that the brain receives sufficient blood supply. If these physiologic reflexes are inadequate, they can result in symptoms.

Nuclear Image Test

The purpose of a nuclear image test is to further evaluate the cause of certain symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath. A nuclear image test carries no greater risk than conventional X-ray tests.

Locations

HealthAlliance Hospital
105 Mary's Avenue
Kingston, NY 12401
Phone: 845.338.2500

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