How Is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Diagnosed?
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) happens without warning
and requires immediate treatment. Rarely is there a chance to diagnose it with
medical tests as it is happening. Instead, SCA is often diagnosed after it
happens, by ruling out other causes of the patient's sudden collapse.
Specialists Involved
People who may be at high risk for SCA can see a
cardiologist (heart specialist) who can decide whether they need preventive
treatments. Some cardiologists specialize in recognizing and treating problems
with the electrical system of the heart. These specialists are called
electrophysiologists (e-LEK-tro-FIH-ze-ah-low-jists).
Diagnostic Tests and Procedures
Doctors use several tests to help detect the
factors that put people at risk for SCA. These tests include:
- EKG
(electrocardiogram). This is a simple test that records the electrical activity
of the heart from the body's surface. It's used to detect and locate the source
of
arrhythmias and other heart problems. It may show whether you
have had a
heart
attack.
- Echocardiogram. This test uses sound waves to create a
moving picture of your heart. Echocardiogram provides information about the
size and shape of your heart and how well your heart chambers and valves are
functioning. The test also can identify areas of poor blood flow to the heart,
areas of heart muscle that are not contracting normally, and previous injury to
the heart muscle caused by poor blood flow.
- There are several different
types of echocardiograms, including a stress echocardiogram. During this test,
an echocardiogram is done both before and after your heart is stressed either
by having you exercise or by injecting a medicine into your bloodstream that
makes your heart beat faster and work harder. A stress echocardiogram is
usually done to find out if you have decreased blood flow to your heart (coronary
artery disease).
- MUGA test or
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) heart scans. These scans can
detect whether the heart has a reduced ability to pump blood.
- Cardiac
catheterization. In this procedure, a thin, flexible tube (called a
catheter) is passed through an artery in the groin (upper thigh) or arm to
reach the coronary arteries in the heart. Your doctor can use the catheter to
determine pressure and blood flow in the heart's chambers, collect blood
samples from the heart, and examine the coronary arteries by x ray.
- Electrophysiology study. For this study, doctors also use
cardiac catheterization to see how the heart's electrical system responds to
certain medicines and electrical stimulation. The electrical stimulation helps
to find where the heart's electrical system is damaged.
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