Cardiac Diagnostic Services

Mercy Gilbert offers a number of cardiac diagnostic services to identify and treat heart disease. Through noninvasive and invasive testing we can determine if you have heart disease and the best course of treatment.

Noninvasive Cardiac Diagnostic Services?

Our tests include:

• Electrocardiogram—checks for problems with the electrical activity of your heart
• Transthoracic Echocardiogram—a type of ultrasound that evaluates how your heart muscle and valves are working
• Treadmill testing/other stress tests—monitors how your heart functions while exercising or under exertion
• Nuclear medication scan—performed to identify damaged heart muscle, see how blood is flowing to the heart and how the heart pumps blood out to your body

Invasive Cardiac Diagnostic Services?

Mercy Gilbert specialists perform heart catheterization to identify problems with the coronary arteries and the valves of the heart. In this test, we evaluate blood flow in the coronary arteries by using X-ray equipment, specialized catheters and contrast dye. We check blood flow and pressure in the heart chambers to see how well the heart valves work.

Often the first indication of an artery blockage is a heart attack. During a heart attack, oxygen rich blood cannot flow to the heart, causing heart tissue to deteriorate and die. Fast diagnosis and treatment is critical during this time.

Based on the test results, your doctor will either proceed with intervention or prescribe medication to treat the coronary artery disease. Interventions could include angioplasty, where a small balloon is placed and inflated to reopen narrowed arteries. The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association recommends a less than 90 minute door-to-balloon time. Over the past year, Mercy Gilbert's average door-to-balloon time has been less than 75 minutes.

Angioplasty may be followed by the implantation of a stent, a small metal mesh tube used to keep the artery walls open.

Catheterization (Cath) Lab Procedures
In addition to heart catheterization, we perform other cardiac diagnostic services in Mercy Gilbert's Cath Lab, including intravascular ultrasound. In this test, sound waves are used to see inside the blood vessels. If a blood clot is found, our specialists will perform a thrombectomy to remove it.

Peripheral vascular disease, a blockage in the large arteries (not within the coronary arteries) can also be diagnosed in the Cath Lab. Our specialists place a stent in the blocked peripheral artery and perform a thrombectomy to remove the clot.

Learn More About Cardiac Diagnostic Services at Mercy Gilbert

We are committed to keeping you comfortable, safe and informed throughout your test(s). If you have questions or concerns about any of our cardiac diagnostic services, please call us at (480) 728-7354, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.