Patients with an appointment at The Ottawa Hospital will receive an\u00a0automated confirmation call up to 5 days prior to their appointment.\u00a0If you need to change or cancel an upcoming appointment, please call our booking office 48 hours prior to your scheduled appointment.<\/p>\n
An electrocardiogram (ECG) measures the electrical activity of the heart. When you come for your test, an ECG technologist will explain the procedure and will apply small adhesive electrodes to your skin. In order to ensure that the electrodes adhere well, we may need to use fine sandpaper lightly on your skin or shave your skin. The electrodes are then attached by wires to an ECG machine.<\/p>\n
You will be asked to lie still for a few minutes while the ECG machine records your heart\u2019s electrical activity. A cardiologist will later interpret the test and send a report to your physician.<\/p>\n
No preparation necessary.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Your physician has ordered this test to look for any heart rhythm problems.\u00a0 At your appointment, a technologist will prepare your skin and apply small adhesive electrodes to your skin.\u00a0 In order to ensure that the electrodes adhere well, we may need to use fine sandpaper lightly on your skin or shave your skin.\u00a0 The electrodes are then attached by wires to a monitoring device called a Holter or a loop monitor.<\/p>\n If you are undergoing a Holter test, you will be asked to enter any symptoms (palpitations, shortness of breath, light headedness, chest pain) into a patient diary.\u00a0 You will also be asked to record the time you experienced these symptoms.\u00a0 You will be asked to remove the monitor at a specific time.<\/p>\n If you are undergoing a loop monitor test, you will be instructed to press the button on the monitor and to record your symptoms in your patient diary. You will be asked to remove the monitor at a specific time.<\/p>\n You will be given an appointment to return the monitor. The test will be interpreted by a cardiologist, and a report sent back to your doctor.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n What will happen on the day of the test? You will be asked to exercise on a treadmill.\u00a0 The test will start slowly and gradually.\u00a0 The speed and incline will increase gradually.\u00a0 Your heart rate and blood pressure will be monitored throughout the test.\u00a0 You will be encouraged to exercise for as long as possible.<\/p>\n Instructions for Treadmill Stress Test:<\/strong><\/p>\n An echocardiogram is a special ultrasound examination of the heart that provides your doctor with live pictures of your heart to evaluate the anatomy and function of the heart muscle, chambers, and valves.\u00a0 It is the same technology that is used to look at unborn babies in a pregnant woman.\u00a0 It is a painless examination that takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes to perform.\u00a0 A specially trained technologist called a sonographer will attach electrodes to your chest so that we may record your heart\u2019s rhythm.\u00a0 You will be asked to remove your clothing from the waist up and change into a hospital gown.\u00a0\u00a0 You will be asked to lie down on your left side on the exam table.\u00a0 The lights will be dimmed during the examination. The sonographer will put gel on an ultrasound transducer which will be applied to your chest to look at your heart.\u00a0 The recorded pictures will be analyzed later by a cardiologist who will send a report to your physician.<\/p>\n If parts of your heart muscle are not well seen, you may be given an intravenous injection of a medication called\u00a0Definity\u00a0which will allow us to see your heart better and increase the accuracy of the test.<\/p>\n No preparation necessary.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Your physician has requested that you undergo a stress echocardiogram.\u00a0 This test combines an ultrasound of your heart and a stress test.\u00a0 Images of your heart before and during stress will be recorded and compared. \u00a0In a normal heart, all areas of the heart muscle will pump harder with exercise or dobutamine (which is a drug that simulates exercise).\u00a0 Abnormal movement of the heart\u2019s walls during exercise may suggest blockage of a coronary artery.<\/p>\n Preparation for the Test:<\/strong><\/p>\n What will happen on the day of the test?<\/strong> Bicycle or treadmill stress echocardiogram:<\/strong> Dobutamine stress echocardiogram: A Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE) provides valuable information to your physician which may not be obtainable from a transthoracic echocardiogram.\u00a0 For example, it may be ordered to look for clots in the heart, more detailed examination of certain valvular diseases, or to evaluate the aorta.\u00a0 The test involves the insertion of a special ultrasound probe into your esophagus (food pipe).\u00a0 It is performed by a cardiologist with the assistance of a sonographer.<\/p>\n Before the test, the sonographer will explain the procedure and ask you to sign a consent form.\u00a0 An intravenous will be inserted into your arm.\u00a0 You will be asked to remove any dental appliances such as dentures.\u00a0 The doctor will spray the back of your throat with a numbing medication (Xylocaine spray) and will administer a mild sedative (midazolam) to help you relax.\u00a0 A bite guard will be placed between your teeth.\u00a0 The cardiologist will insert the ultrasound probe into your mouth and ask you to swallow several times to help guide the probe into position.\u00a0 The cardiologist will then perform the examination which should take about 15-20 minutes. \u00a0The sonographer will take pictures and perform measurements during the test.\u00a0 The pictures will be later analyzed by the cardiologist, and a report sent back to your doctor.<\/p>\n Preparation for the Test:<\/strong><\/p>\n A pulmonary function test is a test used to assess how well your lungs work.\u00a0 This includes how much air are in your lungs and how effective they are at providing oxygen to the rest of your body.\u00a0 It is a painless examination that takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes.\u00a0 During your test, the Respiratory Therapist will ask you to perform a series of different breathing techniques.\u00a0 Some techniques could be repeated up to 8 times.\u00a0 Once completed, a Respirologist will review the measurements and send an interpretation to your physician.<\/p>\n The following activities should be avoided before testing:<\/strong><\/p>\n Objective:<\/strong><\/p>\n To determine whether one has asthma, as well as to measure its severity.<\/p>\n Description:<\/strong><\/p>\n Before a\u00a0Methacholine\u00a0challenge (MC) test is requested by a physician, the patient will have had a baseline Pulmonary Function Test (PFT), including flow rates.<\/p>\n During the MC test, flow rates are measured before and after inhalations of various concentrations of\u00a0methacholine.<\/p>\n Methacholine\u00a0is a chemical which will cause changes in the flow rate measurements of people who have asthma.<\/p>\n If response to\u00a0methacholine\u00a0is noted, the effect will be reserved before the patient leaves the lab.\u00a0Depending on the patient\u2019s response, this test could be as short as \u00bd hour, or as long as an hour.\u00a0\u00a0\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b<\/p>\n Short acting inhaled bronchodilators<\/p>\n (Ventolin,\u00a0Airomir, Salbutamol, Apo-\u00a0Salvent,\u00a0Atrovent,\u00a0Bricanyl,\u00a0Combivent)<\/td>\n 8 hours<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Long-acting inhaled bronchodilators<\/p>\n (Serevent,\u00a0Oxeze,\u00a0Symbicort, Advair)<\/td>\n 48 hours<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Antihistamines<\/p>\n (Claritin,\u00a0Reactin, Allegra)<\/td>\n If you have any questions regarding other medications or simply would like to inquire about the test, please call the Lab directly at 613 737-8255 Ext. 1<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n (Content goes here\u2026)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nHolter monitors<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
Stress testing<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/strong>A stress technologist or physician will explain the risks and benefits of the treadmill stress test and will ask you to sign a consent form.\u00a0 Your skin will be prepared, and electrodes will be placed on your chest.\u00a0 These electrodes are attached to a heart monitor will allow us to watch your heart rate and rhythm during the test.<\/p>\n\n
Echocardiography<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
Stress echocardiography<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\nA sonographer or physician will explain the risks and benefits of the stress echocardiogram and will ask you to sign a consent form.\u00a0 Your skin will be prepared, and electrodes will be placed on your chest.\u00a0 These electrodes are attached to a heart monitor will allow us to watch your heart rate and rhythm during the test.\u00a0 If parts of your heart muscle are not well seen, you may be given an intravenous injection of a medication called\u00a0Definity\u00a0which will allow us to see your heart better and increase the accuracy of the test.<\/p>\n
\nIf your physician requested an exercise stress echo, you will be asked to exercise on a bicycle or treadmill.\u00a0 The test will start slowly and gradually.\u00a0 The resistance will increase gradually if you are exercising on a bicycle.\u00a0 The speed and incline will increase gradually if you are exercising on a treadmill.\u00a0 Your heart rate and blood pressure will be monitored throughout the test.\u00a0 You will be encouraged to exercise for as long as possible.\u00a0 Ultrasound images will be taken before and during, and\/or after exercise.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Dobutamine is a medication that will stress your heart if you are not able to perform adequate exercise on a bicycle or treadmill.\u00a0 The medication is given over 15 to 20 minutes and will be stopped when your target heart rate is reached.\u00a0 If your target heart rate cannot be reached on the maximum dose of dobutamine, you may be given drug called\u00a0atropine\u00a0to raise your heart rate further.\u00a0 Ultrasound images of your heart will be recorded before and at different stages during the test.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nTransesophageal<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
\n
Pulmonary Function<\/h2>\n
Pulmonary function testing<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
\n
Bronchial challenge<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n
\n Medication<\/strong><\/td>\n Withholding time\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tiotropium\u00a0(Spiriva)<\/td>\n 48 hours<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Accolate, Singular<\/td>\n 48 hours<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \n 48 hours<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n *Unless instructed otherwise, patients may take their oral or inhaled steroids (Prednisone,\u00a0Beclovent,\u00a0Flovent,\u00a0Pulmicort,\u00a0Becloforte,\u00a0etc)<\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET)<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n