Peak Heart & Vascular
Multispecialty Cardiovascular Group located in Laveen, Surprise, Avondale, Phoenix, and Flagstaff, AZ
The skilled team at Peak Heart & Vascular offers office testing at all their office locations to evaluate heart health and function. Diagnostic tools include ultrasound technology that creates images of your heart and important arteries. Other valuable evaluations, like treadmill stress testing and ankle brachial index, are available, too. If you present with heart irregularities, Peak Heart & Vascular may recommend office testing to inform your treatment plan. To find out more about the available tests, call the Laveen, Surprise, Avondale, Flagstaff, or Phoenix, Arizona, office, or use the online tool to schedule.
Office Testing Q & A
What forms of office testing might I need?
Several types of office testing help inform your diagnosis and treatment plan, such as through the vascular lab to test for circulation problems in the arteries, veins, or both. The doctors at Peak Heart & Vascular recommend the following, depending on your particular symptoms and suspected condition:
Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram uses ultrasound technology (sound waves) to create images of your heart. These images reveal how your heart beats and pumps blood and can identify irregularities or heart disease. Your test looks like a graphic outline that represents the heart’s movement.
Carotid ultrasound
This test uses sound waves to evaluate the arteries in your neck that deliver blood to the brain.
Lower extremity arterial or venous ultrasound
This testing uses ultrasound, noninvasive sound waves, to examine blood flow in the arteries and/or veins of the legs. The arteries carry blood from the heart to your legs and veins return blood from the legs to the heart. Blockages in these areas can put your health at risk.
Ankle brachial index (ABI)
This test compares the blood pressure of your lower and upper limbs. A result of 0.9 or lower indicates possible peripheral artery disease.
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening
An AAA can be a life-threatening bulge in the largest artery in the body. Screening for an AAA takes place with ultrasound and is painless.
Treadmill testing
Treadmill testing, or a stress test, helps the doctors of Peak Heart & Vascular understand how your heart handles extra work. During the treadmill test, they hook you up to heart-monitoring equipment as you gradually increase exercise intensity.
Your heart must pump more blood to keep up with the increasing workload, giving your doctor an idea of how well the muscle works. The test can also help your doctor know what kind and intensity of exercise are appropriate for you.
Why would I need office testing to evaluate heart function?
The providers at Peak Heart & Vascular may recommend you undergo cardiovascular office testing if you are at risk for heart disease. Many factors put you at risk for heart disease, including a family history of the disease, smoking, and obesity.
The office tests can detect:
- Heart rhythm disorders
- Reasons why you’re experiencing shortness of breath or chest pain
- Potential problems with the valves or chambers of your heart
- Problems with your heart’s electrical system
- The viability of any implanted device like a pacemaker
- The strength of your heart and it’s ability to tolerate exercise
If you come to Peak Heart & Vascular with symptoms such as heart palpitations or have high cholesterol or high blood pressure, your provider likely orders an echocardiogram. If you have symptoms that suggest circulatory problems, you may undergo one of the advanced ultrasound screening. The information gathered during these tests helps the doctors formulate a treatment plan for your particular situation.
Are office tests painful?
Any of the ultrasound tests, such as an echocardiogram or AAA screening, are painless. The technician passes a transducer or wand across the area requiring examination to deliver sound waves that bounce back and create an image on a computer screen.
Treadmill testing doesn’t hurt, but you might feel slightly uncomfortable and winded.
Peak Heart & Vascular does everything possible to make your office testing experience pleasant and stress-free.
Contact Peak Heart & Vascular to learn more about the office testing you might need to evaluate your heart health and create an effective treatment plan. Call for an appointment or book online.
