Parkland’s cardiovascular services consistently rank among the best in the nation. We have the best staff with the latest technology to treat your heart.
Cardiac Labs
Procedures are performed to test or improve the condition or functions of the heart and its blood vessels, including:
- Cardiac catheterization – a procedure that looks at heart circulation under X-ray with dye.
- Cardioversion – an electrical procedure that helps to correct abnormal heart rhythms.
- Coronary angioplasty – a procedure to open clogged or blocked heart arteries.
For more information, updates on care or questions about the Cardiac Lab, please call 214-266-9541. Appointments are made by referral only. The Cardiac Lab is open from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday – Friday.
Cardiac Rehab
Cardiac rehab helps improve the health and well-being of people who have heart problems.
What is the goal of cardiac rehab?
- Help you recover faster from your heart attack
- Manage your weight and stress level
- Improve your heart function and cholesterol levels
- Lower blood pressure, blood sugar, and risk of heart disease
What should I bring to my appointment?
- 2 forms of identification
- All your medicines
- Insurance card
How do I get ready?
- Wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes
- To help your EKG leads stick better, do not use lotion the day of your appointment
- Eat a light meal 30 minutes to 1 hour before coming to class
- Take your medicines as instructed by your provider
What should I expect?
- You will be asked to come to an exercise class every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for 12 weeks or 36 sessions
- The classes are one hour long.
- We will monitor your heart and blood pressure before, during and after each class
Transthoracic Echocardiogram
A transthoracic echocardiogram (echo) lets us look at your heart. Echocardiograms are a very safe way to look at the health of your heart.
Sometimes medicine or other things can be used during an echo to let us see your heart better. If these are needed the echo tech will tell you.
Why is this test done?
- The test is used to:
- Look at how well your heart works
- Check on valve disease over time
What should I bring to my appointment?
- 2 forms of identification
- All of your medicines
- Insurance card
How do I prepare?
- Please wear comfortable clothing to your appointment
- Take your medicines like usual
- Plan on your echo taking 45 minutes to an hour
What should I expect?
- Electrode stickers will be placed on your chest
- You will lay on your left side for 30-45 minutes
- Your results will come from your provider, not from the echo tech
Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE)
A transesophageal echo (TEE) is an echocardiogram that looks at your heart through a camera placed down your throat.
A TEE is done when your provider needs a closer look at your heart.
Why is this test performed?
- The test is used to:
- Look at your heart for signs of heart and valve disease
- Look for blood clots in your heart
What should I bring to my appointment?
- 2 forms of identification
- All of your medicines
- Insurance card
How do I prepare?
- Do not eat for 8 hours before your TEE
- Please wear loose fitting, comfortable clothes, and no jewelry to your TEE
- You provider may give you other instructions
What should I expect?
- Before your TEE, an IV will be placed to give you fluids and medicine
- You will be connected to an EKG and blood pressure cuff during your TEE
- You will be given medicine to make you relaxed and sleepy for your TEE. Some kinds of medicine may put you to sleep.
Exercise Stress Echocardiogram
An exercise stress echocardiogram is a stress test with echocardiogram that is done while you exercise on a treadmill.
Why is this test done?
- The test is used to:
- Look at how well your heart works during exercise
- Look for signs of heart disease
What should I bring to my appointment?
- 2 forms of identification
- All of your medicines
- Insurance card
How do I prepare?
- Please wear comfortable clothing and shoes as you will be exercising on a treadmill
- To help the leads stick better, do not put lotion on your skin the day of your appointment
- You will be asked to remove your clothing from the waist up. Women will be provided a gown.
What should I expect?
- You will be asked to sign a consent form that allows our technologists to perform your test. Please ask questions if you have any.
- You will be connected to an EKG and blood pressure cuff
- A sonogram will be done of your heart before and after exercise.
Dobutamine Stress Echocardiogram
A Dobutamine stress echocardiogram involves using a medicine called Dobutamine to do a stress test without exercise. Dobutamine raises your heart rate like exercise does.
Why is this test performed?
- The test is used:
- When you cannot exercise on a treadmill or stationary bike
- To look for signs of heart disease
- To see if the treatment plan for your heart is working
What should I bring to my appointment?
- 2 forms of identification
- All of your medicines
- Insurance card
How do I prepare?
- Do not eat or drink anything for 4 hours before your appointment
- Please wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing
- To help the leads stick better, do not put lotion on your skin the day of your appointment
- You will be asked to remove your clothing from the waist up. Women will be provided a gown.
What should I expect?
- The entire test takes around 1 hour to complete
- You will be asked to sign a form that gives us permission to do your test.
- An EKG will be used, and a blood pressure cuff will be placed on your arm.
- An IV will be placed in your hand or arm to give you fluids or medicines.
- During the test a sonogram will be taken of your heart
Graded Exercise Stress Test
The graded exercise stress test looks at how well your heart works while you exercise on a treadmill. The treadmill will get faster and higher as you go.
Why is this test done?
- This test is used to:
- To see if you have heart disease
- To see if your cardiac treatment plan is working
- To help you exercise safely outside of the clinic
What should I bring to my appointment?
- 2 forms of identification
- All of your medicines
- Insurance card
How do I prepare?
- Wear comfortable clothes and shoes as you will be exercising on a treadmill
- Do not put lotion on your skin the day of your appointment
- If you use an inhaler for asthma or other breathing problems, please bring it
- Your provider may give you other instructions to get ready for your test
What should I expect?
- The entire test will take around 45 minutes to an hour
- You will be asked to sign a form that gives us permission to do your test.
- An EKG will be used, and a blood pressure cuff will be placed on your arm.
Electrocardiogram (EKG)
An electrocardiogram is a test that measures whether your heart is beating normally.
Why is this test rerformed?
- This test is used to:
- See if your heart has a normal rhythm and rate
- Look for signs of a heart attack
What should I bring to my appointment?
- 2 forms of identification
- All of your medicines
- Insurance card
How do I prepare?
- To help the electrodes stick better, do not put lotion on your skin the day of your appointment Do not wear hose or tights.
- Wear a shirt that can be easily removed
What should I expect?
- Ten electrode stickers will be placed on your chest.
- To help the electrodes stick, men may have chest hair shaved
- You will lie flat on the exam bed while the EKG is done.
- The EKG test will take about 10 minutes in all.
Holter Monitor
A cardiac Holter monitor is a small machine that records your heart’s rhythm over 24 hours.
Why is this test performed?
- This test is used to:
- Check your heart’s rhythm for 24 hours
- See if your heart’s rhythm causes your symptoms
What should I bring to my appointment?
- 2 forms of identification
- All of your medicines
- Insurance card
How do I prepare?
- Your Holter monitor will be placed at an appointment with your provider
- To help the electrodes stick better, do not put lotion on your skin the day of your appointment
- Please wear loose fitting clothing to your appointment
What should I expect?
- Electrode stickers will be placed on your chest
- You will wear the Holter monitor for 24 hours from the time it is put on you
- You will write down your activity and symptoms while you wear the Holter monitor
Event Monitor
An event monitor is a small machine that records your heart’s rhythm over 30 days.
Why is this test performed?
- This test is used to:
- Check your heart’s rhythm for 30 days to see if your heart’s rhythm causes your symptoms
- See if you hare having abnormal heart rhythms, see how long they last, what kind they are and what seems to cause them
What should I bring to my appointment?
- 2 forms of identification
- All of your medicines
- Insurance card
How do I prepare?
- To help the electrodes stick better, do not put lotion on your skin the day of your appointment
- Please wear loose fitting clothing to your appointment
What should I expect?
- An electrode will be placed on your chest to track your heart beating
- You will be allowed to shower and take the monitor off as needed
- Once the event monitor is finished, please return all the parts in the shipping box provided to you
Implantable Arrhythmia Management Device Checks
Our pacemaker/internal cardiac defibrillator clinic takes care of patients before and after they have a pacemaker or internal defibrillator placed.
Why are these device checks done?
- These device checks are used to:
- Check the battery life
- Check if the device has found any heart problems and if it has treated any heart problems
- Find out if the device is having problems
What should I bring to my appointment?
- 2 forms of identification
- All of your medicines
- Insurance card
How to prepare
Your medical history and your needs will decide how often you have your pacemaker or internal defibrillator checked.
What to expect
- A nurse will review information from your device
- Pacemaker/ICD checks will be done at your home or at the clinic, depending on the type of device you have.
- Some pacemakers can be checked over the telephone.
To find out about more procedures offered in the Cardiovascular Lab and for an appointment, please call 214-266-9541. The Cardiovascular Lab is open from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday – Friday.
Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery Clinic
This clinic provides consultation and evaluation of all patients with cardiac and non-cardiac thoracic surgical problems. For more information call 214-266-9541 or for an appointment, please call 214-590-5218. Office hours are 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday – Friday.