CLINTON —
When dealing in matters of the heart, medical professionals agree one test can be the difference between life and death.
Screening for heart abnormalities, coronary artery disease or other heart-related health issues is essential for diagnosing a heart problem and receiving the proper treatment to ensure a long healthy life.
Gateway-area residents who suspect an issue exists have an abundance of options available within their community to test what may be a potentially life-threatening condition.
The Heart Center at Medical Associates boasts echocardiography, stress echo and testing, carotid ultrasound, nuclear imaging, vascular testing and screening, electrocardiogram, holtor monitoring, impedance cardiography, pacemaker monitoring and tilt table testing. All are critical for preventing or detecting potential heart problems.
“There is nothing they need in outpatient services that they can’t get here,” Cardiologist Dr. Saadi Albaghdadi said.
Albaghdadi is one of three board-certified cardiologists who is highly trained and offers several years of experience at Medical Associates.
Using the tests available, the heart center is able to identify problems such as valvular disease, heart arythmia problems, structural abnormalities and coronary artery disease. The results from many of these tests are available for the doctors to review within minutes of completion, which allows the doctors to quickly diagnose the patient.
“Absolutely, these are life saving,” Albaghdadi said. “Sometimes we put a patient straight to the hospital.”
According to Heart Center employee Kelly Cramer, RDMS, RVT, RDMS, 1,350 echocardiograms were performed last year alone. The center also performed 1,444 nuclear stress tests and 1,452 EKGs.
“Without these tests the doctors wouldn’t be able to diagnose heart disease,” Cramer said.
While these tests can be instrumental in preventing a deadly incident, they are mostly used as a preventative measure.
The nuclear imaging for example, looks for trouble spots that could affect a patient’s heart health. Colleen Conroy, a certified nuclear medical technician at Medical Associates, injects a patient with a small amount of radioactive material and takes images of the heart to measure bloodflow. Patients are then put under “stress” by walking a treadmill to see how the blood flows when not at rest.
“We could get on the path to correcting,” Conroy said. “It’s a very good diagnostic tool.”
The nuclear medicine, echocardiography and vascular labs are all accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission. Accreditation by the IAC means these labs underwent a thorough review of their operational and technical components by a panel of experts.
The IAC grants accreditation only to those facilities found to be providing quality patient care and in compliance with national standards through a comprehensive application process including detailed case study review.
The Heart Center also is home to a brand new echocardiography system. The machine just arrived at Medical Associates in December. It allows the technicians to see inside the heart through three-dimensional images that allow the patient to be diagnosed and evaluated at a level two-dimensional machines cannot.
“It just offers the best quality images that are available today,” Cramer said. “It can give you basically the surgeon’s view of the valve.”
In addition to using the equipment and tests for preventative reasons, doctors and technicians use them to ensure new abnormalities haven’t occurred after a cardiac event in order to continue care for the heart.
“They’re vital in the future, too,” Albaghdadi said.
Features
Related Photos
-
Medical Associates Heart Center technician Lynette Schmidt (right) practices the routine stress test on fellow employee Kelly Cramer. The stress tests are used to diagnose patients who may be suffering from heart problems as well as to monitor those who have already suffered a cardiac problem. Katie Dahlstrom/Clinton Herald
Discussion
January 31, 2013
Matters of the Heart: Do you know what your numbers mean?
- Features
-
- Krumpets will be moving to Fulton FULTON, Ill. — A Clinton restaurant will be moving into the old Corner Treasures & Treats building at 1016 Fourth St. in Fulton. Charles Dykstra, of the Fulton Retail Development Group, made the announcement during the Fulton City Council meeting thi
-
Okla. front pages capture tornado aftermath
View how several Oklahoma newspapers covered Monday's massive tornado in Moore. Please note that officials revised the death toll downward early Tuesday morning after some papers were printed, but it is expected to climb again as recovery efforts continue.
-
Striding for awareness
CAMANCHE -- Organizers for the third annual Strides for Clinton County Autism Family Walk and 5K run agreed that Saturday's turnout was better than last year. "It's getting bigger every year," Lori Bigwood, one of the organizers for the event, said.
-
Nancy Holt
CAMANCHE -- Nancy Holt, 65, of Camanche, had a port placed in her chest this week to facilitate weekly plasma infusions. She said this is the best way to treat Alpha-1. For the past few years, Nancy's health has been declining. At the same time, her
-
Students honored at ceremony
CLINTON -- Seventy-four students from Clinton High School's class of 2013 were honored Thursday during the 27th annual senior honors convocation. The class of 2013 has taken more Advanced Placement tests and has earned some of the highest scores on
-
Group eyes bandshell improvement
CLINTON -- A group of Clinton volunteers wants to transform the Riverview bandshell from an unkempt structure to an attractive venue for community events. Members of Vision 8, a Clinton-based nonprofit organization working together to improve the ima
-
Cool Streak Snapped
CLINTON -- It didn't take long for the Gateway-area to bust out of a recent cool streak that extended through the weekend. In fact, the swing temperature was record-breaking. Tuesday's high of 93 degrees broke a record high from 1932. The temperature
-
Bidding farewell
CLINTON -- For the first time in 55 years, Mark Kapusinski will not have a first day of school to anticipate. The Clinton vocal music teacher is retiring after 29 years with the Clinton School District. His wife Nancy also is retiring. With 22 years
-
Growing Together
CLINTON -- Apartment dwellers and those with small yards can still rent plots in Clinton's community garden. The community garden, located at the corner of 13th Avenue North and North 14th Street, was tilled Wednesday for the planting season. Kelli
-
A road block to businesses?
Camanche Avenue is expected to open Clinton to a bevy of new business and economic activity, but some business owners along the torn-up highway say the construction that started last April has nearly led them to close.
- More Features Headlines
