Echocardiography

Echocardiography, in short: "echo", is an ultrasonic method to examine the heart, especially with respect to the myocardial muscle and the cardiac valves. This standard examination method is used for nearly all kinds of heart disease and is free of influences that may be harmful to health. Effects of high blood pressure on the myocardial muscle can also be detected with echocardiography. The highly sophisticated technical devices supporting this method use the Doppler shift to measure the velocity of the blood flow and apply a color code to display the blood flow direction.

Stress echocardiography

Stress echocardiography is the combination of exercise ECG with echocardiography. Under stress, on a bicycle ergometer, especially abnormalities of the wall-motion in the myocardial muscle are examined. In most cases changes can be detected by stress echocardiography earlier than by ergometry. As far as examination results are concerned, stress echocardiography is comparable to cardiac scintigraphy.

Contrast stress echocardiography

The injection of a contrast medium during a stress echocardiography provides very detailed information on the blood circulation of the heart and possible constrictions of coronary vessels. The contrast medium consists of microbubbles. No radioactivity is involved. The method does not impair fitness to drive.

TEE

Transesophageal echocardiography refers to an ultrasonic examination of the heart over a probe passed into the patient’s esophagus. From there the cardiac structures can be seen much more precisely than with any exterior visualization method. Heart valve diseases or defects of the cardiac septum can be reliably assessed. This method is also useful to locate blood clots that may have formed in the heart.

ECG

With electrocardiography, or ECG, the very weak electrical activity of the heart can be recorded. Changes observed on the ECG can provide indications of various cardiac diseases.

Long-term-ECG

Long-term ECG records the data collected by the electrocardiography over a certain period of time, in most cases over 24 hours. This allows for the registration and analysis of cardiac arrhythmia. For this method we provide you with a small portable recording unit for one day. Your daily and work routines are not impaired by this method.

Stress-ECG or ergometry

ECG data can also be collected during physical exercise: The patient works out on a bicycle while data is recorded simultaneously. As the load is gradually increased, the rhythm of the heart and the fitness of the cardio-vascular system can be documented. The recorded ECG may provide indications of circulatory disorders of the myocardial muscle.

Long-term blood pressure measurement

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a disease of the cardio-vascular system that should not be underestimated. However, in most cases effective therapies are at hand.

Blood pressure measurement is a standard examination method that can be applied over a period of 24 hours, thus enabling the recording of blood pressure variations during the day. This method is also appropriate for monitoring hypertension therapy.

X-ray

X-rays of the thorax organs (heart, lungs, aorta) provides useful information such as proof of heart diseases like cardiac insufficiency or the early detection of lung tumors. Thanks to a high-kilovoltage technique, radiation exposure of this standard examination has been considerably reduced.

Vascular Doppler

Ultrasound in combination with Doppler testing and color encoding of the blood stream enables examination of the body’s individual blood vessels, including carotids, abdominal artery, renal arteries or leg vessels. Displaying the renal arteries can provide valuable information in cases of high blood pressure. Tests of the brain-feeding arteries help assess narrowing or calcification of the arteries and can also indicate existing cardiac diseases.

Marcumar® training (CoaguChek XS®):

We offer regular training sessions for patients affected by oral anticoagulation. In our practice small groups are trained in determining their coagulation values and in adapting medication accordingly. In three training units we explain the handling of the measuring equipment and provide background information.

General health check-up

Check-ups of your cardiovascular system and inner organs every six months / every year are important for the prevention of serious illnesses.