An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a simple test that can be used to check your heart's rhythm and electrical activity. Sensors attached to the skin are used to detect the electrical signals produced by your heart each time it beats.

Echocardiography is a painless, non-invasive test that uses sound waves to create a moving picture of patients’ hearts. From this in-depth, 3-D image, providers can learn about the size, shape, and functionality of the heart they’re viewing. Echos are also a crucial tool for discovering and diagnosing cardiovascular issues quickly and accurately.

While echos can be performed on people of any age, cardiovascular techs can attain specialized knowledge about the heart health of different patient demographics. Adult echocardiography is a popular path to pursue. For this specialty, techs usually focus on the following areas:

A stress echocardiogram is a test done to assess how well the heart works under stress. The “stress” can be triggered by either exercise on a treadmill or a medicine called dobutamine. A dobutamine stress echocardiogram (DSE) may be used if you are unable to exercise.

This exercise test is performed on a treadmill in the presence of a cardiologist and takes between 30 and 45 minutes. You will need to bring comfortable clothes and shoes for running or walking.

During the test, your heart rate, blood pressure and ECG are monitored. This test is performed to exclude coronary artery disease, irregular heartbeat and blood pressure response to exercise. The cardiologist will be able to give you the results of the test on the day or we send to your referring physician within 1 week.

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) measures blood pressure at regular intervals. It is believed to be able to reduce the white coat hypertension effect in which a patient's blood pressure is elevated during the examination process due to nervousness and anxiety caused by being in a clinical setting. ABPM can also detect the reverse condition, masked hypertension, where the patient have normal blood pressure during the examination but uncontrolled blood pressure at home.[1] Out-of-office measurements are highly recommended as an adjunct to office measurements by almost all hypertension organizations.

A holter monitor is a continuous ECG recording taken over a 24 hour period. It assists your doctor in comparing the data recorded with your symptoms such as dizziness, palpitations etc. The monitor which is a box similar in size to a small Walkman has 5 small cables attached to electrode patches. These patches are applied to the chest and the monitor is carried in a holder around the neck or waist. It may be more comfortable if you wear loose fitting clothes. You are encouraged to continue your regular daily activities but should not shower while fitted with the monitor. If you experience any symptoms, you should make note of the time, the symptoms and what you were doing at the time. The holter monitor records the time so your doctor can correlate the data with any symptoms you may have noted.

Your initial appointment to have the monitor applied takes approximately 30 minutes and when you return 24 hours later, you should allow 10 minutes for the technician to remove the monitor and patches. 

The ankle brachial index, or ABI, is a simple test that compares the blood pressure in the upper and lower limbs. Health care providers calculate ABI by dividing the blood pressure in an artery of the ankle by the blood pressure in an artery of the arm. The result is the ABI. If this ratio is less than 0.9, it may mean that a person has peripheral artery disease (PAD) in the blood vessels in his or her legs.

In PAD, plaque builds up in the arteries. It often affects the vessels that bring blood to the legs. The reduced blood flow can cause pain and numbness. Low ABI may mean that your legs and feet aren’t getting as much blood as they need. An ABI test won’t show exactly which blood vessels have become narrowed or blocked, though.

PFT is a valuable tool in the assessment of respiratory disease. Spirometry is the key diagnostic test for airway diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and is the most commonly performed test. The other tests include lung volumes and diffusing capacity measurement, impulse Oscillometry (IOS), bronchoprovocation, and exercise physiology tests.

A bubble saline contrast echocardiogram can help to diagnose a patent foramen ovale (PFO) or an atrial septal defect (ASD). This is a congenital defect where the valve separating the left and right heart chambers (atrial septums) stays open after birth. It's commonly known as a hole in the heart. Normally, the valve should close spontaneously.

During the test, salt water (saline) bubbles are injected into the blood stream and a cardio consultant watches on screen as they flow into the heart. A normal heart should retain the bubbles within the right-hand chamber (atrium), but if the bubbles leak into the left hand side, it indicates that the valve is still open.

Telehealth consultations provide patients with a consultation through video or telephone instead of face to face.

It uses the transmission of images, voice and data between two or more sites using telecommunications to provide health services, such as clinical advice, consultation, education, and training services. There are three ways telehealth can be used:  

1. Remote patient monitoring – monitoring patient health and clinical information at a distance.
2. Store-and-forward – transmission of images or information from one healthcare provider to another.
3. Consultations – connection between a patient and one or more healthcare providers through an audio or video-enabled device. 

Our team of specialists will consult with you every step of the way ensuring you have a complete understanding of the tests we are conducting. As well your health is important to us and we strive to communicate the well being of your condition. 

We provide assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of the heart and its problems and ongoing support for patients. 

MK Medical Specialists And Diagnostics Services offers urgent and routine care within 24-48 hours. Urgent cardiac complaints such as chest pain, shortness of breath and other symptoms will require to be investigated on an urgent basis. Have your family physician or nurse practitioner send in a referral marked urgent and our team will be happy to start the investigations and consultations immediately.

Internal medicine doctors specialize in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease in their adult patients. They are trained to offer care for a wide variety of health conditions and to counsel their patients on prevention and overall wellness.

The pandemic has dramatically changed how we live our lives. The impact has been felt across all sectors, including the local weight management, obesity and wellbeing services. Medical professionals have had to adapt at fast pace to support their communities.

Our rapid research into weight management services captures innovative local practice and presents insights into how people (adults, children and families) living with overweight and obesity felt during lockdown, plus the support available to them.

The report aims to share learning with doctors across the country, including those which had to stop their behavioural weight management services during lockdown. It forms a set of guiding principles for services, commissioners and service users.