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A battery of tests is inevitable for those suspected of having heart disease and heart disease patients. If your future holds one of these non-invasive heart tests, here’s what you should expect: ECGs, CT scans, and MRIs. Why do you need these tests, and what are they? When you visit your cardiologist, these are some of the test names you will hear. Keep in mind that these are just some of the services and tests a cardiologist can do.

Your doctor may order an array of cardiac tests if you’re suspected of having a heart condition, or you’ve got heart issues. If during outdoor activities for toddlers, your child gets breathless too often and fast, your doctor may order these tests. But what should you expect, and what’s their purpose? Here’s a guide to what some of the non-invasive tests your doctor orders are designed to do.

1. Echocardiogram

It produces images of your heart using sound waves. This heart functioning test shows how blood is moving through your heart and how your heart’s beating. The images from an echocardiogram identify heart muscle and valve abnormalities.

Reasons for the test:

– Identify the cause of heart murmur

– Check heart valves function

– Assess the function of the heart

2. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE):

This heart exam makes detailed pictures of your arteries that lead from and to your heart and the heart itself using ultrasound. A thin tube attached to the echo transducer that produces the TEE soundwaves is put into the mouth, down the throat, and into the esophagus that’s very close to the heart’s upper chambers.

Reasons for the Test:

– Assess heart valve function

– Monitor heart valve disease

– Check for blood clots inside the heart

3. Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)

When wondering what tests can a cardiologist do, an ECG or EKG comes to mind first. These cardiac tests provide two kinds of information when measuring the heartbeat’s electrical activity. First, a doctor can determine how long it takes the electrical wave to pass through your heart using the ECG to measure time intervals.

It is possible to show whether the electrical activity is irregular, fast, regular, or slow by finding out how long a wave will take to pass through one part of the heart to the next.

How to make a child successful in life will depend on their mental and physical health and the support they get from their environment. If the doctor orders this test, it’s best to get it done.

If parts of the heart are overworked or too large, a cardiologist may be able to find this out by measuring the amount of electrical activity passing through the heart muscle.

Reasons for the Test:

– Monitor heart rhythm changes

– Determine the occurrence of a heart attack

– Help in the prediction of a developing heart attack

4. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Another answer to, “what tests can a cardiologist do?” is a MRI. Detailed pictures of structures and organs inside your body are created using radiofrequency waves and magnetic fields. These can be used to identify areas affected by stroke in the brain and examine blood and heart vessels.

Reasons for the Test:

– Assess the structure of the heart

– Look within the heart muscle for scar tissue

– Assess heart valve function

5. CT Scan

This is a computer imaging technique that produces cross-sectional images of the heart through X-ray imaging. This test can be used to examine whether your blood and heart vessels have problems. It is also referred to as computerized axial tomography, CAT scan, or cardiac computed tomography. It is also used to determine whether a stroke has affected blood vessels in the brain.

Reasons for the Test:

– Assess the hearts structure

– Heart blockage testing to determine if the coronary arteries have any blockages

6. Exercise Cardiac Stress Test

The ETT (exercise tolerance test) is one of the cardiac tests that show whether you’ve got normal heart rhythm on a treadmill or stationary bike, and if you have sufficient blood supply in your heart. Echocardiography and nuclear imaging are usually done in combination with this test.

Reasons for the Test:

– Determine the causes of weakness, shortness of breath, and chest pain

– Assess the heart’s health

– Assess exercise safety

– Identify how activity changes heart rhythm

– Find out if during exercise there’s an inadequate flow of blood to the heart muscle

7. Pharmacologic Stress Test

To dilate the arteries and increase blood flow and heart rate -just like the effects of exercise- you receive medication through an IV line in your arm. This heart testing is done together with echocardiography, MRI, or nuclear imaging. If you’re worried about costs and the question on your mind is, “can I get medicare through my spouse?” you must get this cleared with one of the officials before you commit.

Reasons for the Test:

– Identify the causes of weakness, shortness of breath, and chest pain

– During exercise, find evidence in the heart muscle of inadequate blood flow

– In the coronary arteries, diagnose and monitor blockages

– Assess heart attack risks

8. Tilt test

The tilt test is another one of the tests a cardiologist can do, however, it is not commonly found. If you feel lightheaded or faint, a tilt test will determine why. You will lie on a slowly tilted table. This test measures the response of your heart rate and blood pressure to gravity. During the test, a technician or a nurse will track the changes in your heart rate (pulse) or your blood pressure.

Reasons for the Test:

– Assess fainting spells and dizziness

– Identify changes in heart rhythm

9. Ambulatory Rhythm Monitoring Tests

To study heart rhythm on an outpatient basis for a prolonged time, ambulatory monitoring tests such as Holter monitoring, mobile cardiac telemetry (MCT), and event recorders.

Reasons for the tests:

– Identify problems that aren’t apparent on a normal ECG and evidence of heart rhythm issues that come and go.

10. Coronary Angiogram

Coronary arteries that supply blood to your heart are examined through the use of an X-Ray. Your heart and coronary arteries are fed with a catheter introduced to your groin or arm through a blood vessel. Images are then taken after a special dye is injected into the catheter.

Reasons for this type of cardiac test:

– Evaluate the inner pressure of the heart

– Identify coronary artery blockages or narrowing

Do you believe that you could be pregnant? There's always a chance of pregnancy even if you use the best birth control methods. This is because pregnancy comes from one sperm and one egg. Determining whether or not you're pregnant can quickly happen by just taking a pregnancy test.

Once you’ve taken your test, you may also like to look at outdoor activities for toddlers, and how to make your child successful in life.

Early pregnancy tests and regular pregnancy tests check if there is a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin in your body. If it's in your body, then you're pregnant. When the egg links itself to the uterus, the hormone is released.

Depending on the pregnancy test, it may require a urine sample from you. Here are several methods to share your urine for the test:

● Pee into a cup and put a testing stick inside of the cup

● Pee into a cup and utilize an eyedropper to help separate a small portion of the fluid into a different container

● Have a urine stick placed where you will urinate so that it catches a sample midstream

If you take a pregnancy test after experiencing a missed period, it has 99 percent effectiveness. These pregnancy tests are convenient because you can take them at home. Just open the package and follow the instructions given. Then wait the amount of time before you can view your results.

Once the results are ready, it should appear in one of the following ways:

● A line

● Change in color

● Words like "not pregnant" or "pregnant."

● Symbols like minus or plus

When Can I Take Pregnancy Test?

So the important question is, when is the earliest you can take a pregnancy test? Knowing when to test pregnancy is important because testing too early can cause inaccurate results. Ideally, you should wait until at least after you missed your period before attempting any early pregnancy tests. Another time frame you may use before taking early pregnancy tests is waiting until at least about one or two weeks after your last sexual intercourse. It typically takes some time before your body can produce any trace of HCG. So how soon can you tell if you're pregnant, or how early can you detect pregnancy? Once the egg is successfully implanted, it takes about 7 to 12 days to see any type of accurate readings. Too early testing will cause inaccurate results. Also keep in mind that pregnancy symptoms may vary when you start to notice them. Now let's go over signs that you should take a pregnancy test.

1. You Notice You Missed Your Period

One of the most significant signs of potential pregnancy is a missed period. You must monitor your cycle closely to ensure you aren't missing your period. Women typically have about a menstrual cycle that lasts 28 days, so consider taking a pregnancy test if it's been over a month since the last time you've had your period.

Remember that certain health conditions, such as exercise, diet, and stress, can cause you to skip or delay your period.

Also, look out for signs such as spotting or light bleeding. This happens when the egg begins to implant itself deeper. Notice if there are any differences in the amount of blood, texture, or color. If you do test positive for pregnancy, you should contact your doctor right away.

2. You're Experiencing Cramps

The egg implantation process can almost mimic the feeling of normal menstrual cramps. You may feel as if your period is coming soon. However, it never arrives. If this happens, you'll want to take a pregnancy test. Each woman is different and will vary in hormone levels.

3. Your Breasts are Hurting

Pregnancy causes an influx in progesterone and estrogen production to help support the growth of the baby. Due to an increased blood flow in your breasts, they may feel bigger and more tender. The veins around it may look dark, and the nipples may even hurt a little. However, this doesn't guarantee a pregnancy. Some women experience some breast tenderness or discomfort before their period.

4. You Don't Feel Well

Sometimes early pregnancy may cause you to feel sick. Additional symptoms may include:

● Exhaustion

● Nausea

● Frequent urination

● Food urinations

These symptoms may happen more frequently or get stronger since your HCG levels are leveling out, especially in the first-trimester stage. If you experience any unusual sensations or sickness, you may want to take a pregnancy test.

5. If Your Contraception Method Didn't Work

Contraceptives methods, such as condoms and birth control pills, aren't 100% effective. No matter how careful you practice safe sex, there could always be a chance of pregnancy. If the contraception failed, consider taking a test.

Any defects or errors may cause an unplanned pregnancy to occur. About every 9 out of 10 women may get pregnant if they do not follow the birth control method as instructed.

In addition, condoms can be worn wrong or break accidentally. It’s estimated that 18 out of 100 women who use condoms as a contraceptive method have gotten pregnant.

You can always contact your doctor for alternative contraception methods, such as using an IUD. Women who use an IUD have less than a one percent chance of getting pregnant.

Always Get Tested When In Doubt

Even if you use protection often, sexually active women have a chance for pregnancy. Always notice any signs that could indicate pregnancy.

Accurate readings usually show if you take the test after missing a period. Hold your urine for several hours or do the test on your first bathroom visit to get better results. This increases the concentration of the HCG in a woman's body.

Testing early will allow you to get prenatal care and receive proper care. If you do test positive, please contact your doctor immediately for the next steps or options available. If you’re curious about raising a child, one thing you can check is what age should a child go to the dentist.