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Doppler ultrasound is a noninvasive test that can be used to measure the blood flow through your blood vessels. It works by bouncing high-frequency sound waves off red blood cells that are circulating in the bloodstream. A regular ultrasound uses sound waves to produce images, but can't show blood flow. A Doppler ultrasound may help diagnose ...
Carotid (kuh-ROT-id) ultrasound is a safe, noninvasive, painless procedure that uses sound waves to examine the blood flow through the carotid arteries. It also evaluates the thickness of the carotid artery wall and checks for clots. One carotid artery is located on each side of the neck. These arteries deliver blood from the heart to the brain ...
A heart arrhythmia (uh-RITH-me-uh) is an irregular heartbeat. A heart arrhythmia occurs when the electrical signals that tell the heart to beat don't work properly. The heart may beat too fast or too slow. Or the pattern of the heartbeat may be inconsistent. A heart arrhythmia may feel like a fluttering, pounding or racing heartbeat.
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is often caused by a buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and on the artery walls, a condition called atherosclerosis. The buildup is called plaque. Plaque can cause arteries to narrow, blocking blood flow. In PAD, plaque collects in the arteries of the arms or legs.
Tests to diagnose peripheral artery disease (PAD) or check for conditions that cause it may include: Blood tests. Blood tests are done to check for things that increase the risk of PAD, such as high cholesterol and high blood sugar. Ankle-brachial index (ABI). This is a common test used to diagnose PAD.
The ankle-brachial index test is a quick, simple way to check for peripheral artery disease (PAD). The disease happens when narrowed arteries reduce the blood flow to the arms or legs. PAD can cause leg pain when walking. PAD also raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. The ankle-brachial index test compares the blood pressure in the ankle ...
Transthoracic echocardiogram, also called a TTE. This is a standard echocardiogram. It's also called a heart ultrasound. It's a noninvasive way to look at blood flow through the heart and heart valves. A TTE creates pictures of the heart from outside the body. Dye, called contrast, may be given by IV.
Bradycardia (brad-e-KAHR-dee-uh) is a slow heart rate. The hearts of adults at rest usually beat between 60 and 100 times a minute. If you have bradycardia, your heart beats fewer than 60 times a minute. Bradycardia can be a serious problem if the heart rate is very slow and the heart can't pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the body.
An arteriovenous (AV) fistula is an irregular connection between an artery and a vein. Blood flow avoids tiny blood vessels (capillaries) and moves directly from an artery into a vein. Arteriovenous fistulas usually occur in the legs but can develop anywhere in the body. An arteriovenous fistula may be surgically created for use in dialysis in ...
Heart murmurs are sounds — such as whooshing or swishing — made by rapid, choppy (turbulent) blood flow through the heart. The sounds can be heard with a device called a stethoscope. A typical heartbeat makes two sounds like "lubb-dupp" (sometimes described as "lub-DUP") when the heart valves are closing. Heart murmurs can be present at ...