—Any suspicion of a heart attack will prompt your doctor to
order serial blood tests to check for evidence that the heart
muscle as been damaged. This usually requires an overnight stay
in the hospital until all of the results are available. —This
study produces images of large and medium sized arteries
throughout the body. A dye that is visible on x-rays is injected
into the arteries through a catheter (plastic tube). This
permits doctors to see the outlines of the arteries’ interior,
and identify irregularities or narrowing due to atherosclerotic
plaques, or abnormal widening due to aneurysms. This procedure
examines the major blood vessels and chambers of the heart.
Cardiac Catheterization © 2011 Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.
Electrocardiography (ECG or EKG) —ECGs measure the initiation
and conduction of electrical currents in the heart. To take an
ECG, doctors place small metal electrodes on a patient’s arms,
legs, and chest. The electrodes measure the direction and flow
of electrical impulses in the heart