Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Next test after abnormal stress-echo?
This forum is for questions and support regarding heart issues such as: Angina, Angioplasty, Arrhythmia, Bypass Surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary Artery Disease, Defibrillator, Heart Attack, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Mitral Valve, Pacemaker, PAD, Stenosis, Stress Tests
Next test after abnormal stress-echo?
by skippy_d, Jul 11, 2007 12:00AM
I had a stress echo that showed abnormal results in the apical wall after exercising (to 98% of MHR for a 52 year old). According to the cardiologist's nurse, the EKG was also abnormal after exercising and the doctor wants to do a catheterization. Is it normal to go to such an invasive test as the next test after an abnormal stress echo or are there other tests that can be done? I have an appointment to see the cardiologist scheduled to discuss the results and options but would like to have a little more information before the appointment.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-M.D.-PPB, Jul 11, 2007 12:00AM
Left heart catheterization would be the next step after a positive stress test especially if you have exertional angina (chest pain or shortness of breath). There are some new tests out there such as cardiac CT which can identify coronay anatomy and look for evidence of obstruction but there are some limitations to them, and most patients that end up getting them still go on to have cardiac catheterization. Even though it sounds like a very invasive procedure, left heart catheterization is very simple and very safe with complication rates less than 1%.
To give you a personal story, I just had a benign tumor removed from my left ear and the doctor wants to go back in and take out more diseassed tissue because of a very small risk of it turning into cancer at some latter point. The risk of the surgery is virtually 0 and the risk of cancer is probably around 1% or less. So it would make sense for me to have the procedure.
Does any one know what a high level of 4.97 troponin may indicate out there?
Vicky