Echo Thallium or Echo Stress Test

Hi,

My dad suffers from block in his heart.

In a single vein he has 2 blocks one of 50% - 60% and the other 75%.
The specialist who performed the angioplast said that he needs to do Echo Thallium & Echo Stress Test but the other doctor said that it can be medically corrected.

And also i wanted to know are both the above mentioned test required or 1 test should do? Which one?




This discussion is related to Stress thallium vs. stress echo.

[mammo]

They normally do one or the other, I don't know of any advantage to doing both.

[ed34]

Well I had an echo two weeks ago and I have to go back to have an echo again but under stress. You see, it's all very well looking at a heart when it's nice and relaxed while you lay on a bed, but it can be a very different picture when the heart is working hard. The two echos will give a more complete picture and show how well the physical side of the heart is responding to body demands.
How old is your Father?

[kenkeith]

QUOTE: "In a single vein he has 2 blocks one of 50% - 60% and the other 75%.
The specialist who performed the angioplast said that he needs to do Echo Thallium & Echo Stress Test but the other doctor said that it can be medically corrected".

>>>>AHA/AAC recommends not stenting blockages less than about 75% if medication can effectively treat the symptoms of angina (chest pain, etc).  Medication and intervention (bypass- stents) only treat the symptoms and are not any cure...so is that what the other doctor is saying?  Or is your father now experiencing symptoms of a previously done angioplasty, and is now the opinion of the specialist who performed the angioplasty (stents?) to have two tests?

Echo"Thallium scan"  is a is stress test that is similar to an echo stress test, but it focuses in more on the coronary arteries and their ability to deliver blood to the heart under stress (that is . A Thallium stress test may be indicated if the echo stress test was inconclusive, or it may be done instead, if there is a likelihood of coronary artery disease. (Thallium scans are also done after a bypass or angioplasty to evaluate the success of the procedure)...Thallium echo would be the preferred test if it is post angioplasty....not necessasry to do two tests!  I am somewhat confused about the doctor who stated medication can correct? Correct what?