The heart is a complex organ, so diagnosis of diseases and disorders affecting the heart require the expertise of a qualified cardiologist. For this reason, your primary care doctor may refer you to Dr. Marc L. Ladenheim for diagnostic cardiology after detecting or suspecting an abnormality. Dr. Ladenheim provides diagnostic and interventional cardiology to patients in and around Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Valley Village, Encino, Tarzana, Toluca Lake, Chatsworth, North Hollywood (NoHo), Valley Glen, and Sun Valley at his practice, Marc L. Ladenheim, MD, FACC, in Burbank, California. Early intervention can change the course of life-limiting diseases of the heart.
Diagnostic cardiology is designed to diagnose the underlying cause of cardiac problems or symptoms. If you report heart-related symptoms, or have symptoms that could be heart-related, your primary physician may refer you to a diagnostic cardiologist like Dr. Ladenheim for further evaluation and treatment. His knowledge, experience and specialized diagnostic tools can clarify your condition.
In order to diagnose or rule out a heart condition, Dr. Ladenheim may complete one or more of the following steps:
A Holter monitor is designed to be worn for a period of 24 hours, over which the rhythm of the heart is measured through EKG. Holter monitors are often used when the patient is not aware of their symptoms as the monitoring is continuous and will catch any unnoticed abnormalities. If the Holter monitor is unrevealing, then a long term monitor can be warned.
An event monitor is similar to a Holter monitor in that it uses EKG to record your heart rhythms, However, an event monitor only records when you tell it to. As soon as you begin experiencing symptoms, you simply push a button and the monitor begins recording. When you return to your doctor, he or she is able to read the results and determine what’s causing your symptoms.
Event monitors are not helpful when you aren’t experiencing noticeable symptoms; in these cases, a Holter monitor is used.
During a cardiac stress test, Dr. Ladenheim is able to evaluate your heart’s response to physical exertion. Cardiac stress tests are generally conducted using a treadmill, which means you should wear walking shoes and comfortable clothes to your appointment. Some patients are not able to walk on a treadmill and then stress can be induced using medication rather than exercise.
