Last month we talked about how your heart works in partnership with your lungs. Today we’re going to talk about common cardiac (heart) medical tests. Next time your doctor wants to do a test on your heart, you’ll have a better idea what to expect and what your doctor is looking for.

Invasive and Non-invasive
Before we start, let’s talk about two main methods of medical testing: Invasive and non-invasive. A medical test or procedure is considered invasive when something is put into your body - a needle or a tube to gather or give blood, fluid, or tissue. In a non-invasive test, nothing is placed into your body.

Here are some commonly done Cardiac tests; Names, how the tests are done, what your doctor is looking for, and what are good – and not so good – results.

Electrocardiogram - EKG
Non-invasive
A quick, simple test to show the electrical activity in your heart.

How is it done?
Ten small sticky tabs are placed on your upper chest or arms, your legs, and chest. These stickies are then hooked up to thin wires connected to a machine that picks up the electrical impulses coming from your heart. The EKG machine shows these impulses on a paper that comes out of the machine. Don’t worry. An EKG does not put any electricity into you!

What is your doctor looking for?
A complete, 12-lead EKG shows your doctor 12 different views of the electrical impulses of your heart, how fast your heart is beating, and if the electrical impulses are taking the right pathway to make your heart beat effectively. Each heartbeat on the page has five parts. These peaks and valleys pictured on the EKG should show an organized and effective heartbeat.

What’s good? What’s not?
Your heart rate should be between 60 and100 beats per minute. However, some people (usually highly conditioned athletic types) can do just fine with a heart rate below 60 without getting dizzy or fainting. Your doctor can advise you what’s normal and acceptable for you. Each “wave” in the heartbeat tracing should be within a certain range of time, shape, and strength. If the waves are outside the normal range, you may need further testing.

Echocardiogram
Non-invasive
An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of your heart.

How is it done?
The technician puts a clear gel onto your chest over the location of your heart, and moves a hand-held device over the gel. Images – live, moving pictures of your heart’s motion, appear on a computer screen. During the test you may hear the sound of the blood rushing through the chambers of your heart. This “movie” of your heart is then saved and viewed later on by your doctor.

What is the doc looking for?

The echocardiogram results include many readings, but one main reading is the Ejection Fraction or EF. This shows the strength and effectiveness of your heart muscle. The EF is the fraction of the total amount of blood being ejected by your heart muscle with each beat. An “echo” also shows how your heart valves are working, for example, if any of the blood is sneaking back into the chamber it is supposed to be going out of.