Services

 Holter ECG studies and long-term cardiac monitoring with ambulatory cardiac loop monitoring, using the most advanced technology in these fields, are now available in our lab. We are proud to be the ONLY centre in Saskatchewan where ALL Holter ECG studies are analyzed and interpreted by the cardiologist. Our advanced Holter technology provides a detailed assessment of different types of cardiac arrhythmia, autonomic regulatory control (autonomic nervous system function) and the occurrence/frequency of sleep apnea spells.

Long-term cardiac monitoring with external Cardiac Loop Recorder (CLR) has been considered the procedure of choice for evaluation of recurrent syncope and for screening for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in patients with cryptogenic stroke. Long-term cardiac monitoring, from one week to 4 weeks of continuous cardiac monitoring, is now available in our centre, daily from Monday to Friday, and it can be arranged in the same day of receiving the request.

We offer Cardiology Consultations for a wide variety of cardiac conditions and symptoms, including chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness/fainting, evaluation of heart murmurs, as well as screening for coronary disease and cardiac arrhythmias. We also provide assessment, treatment and follow up of established cardiac conditions such as coronary artery disease, cardiac arrhythmia, heart failure, cardiomyopathies and valvular heart diseases.

Detailed Echocardiographic Studies, according to the most recent American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) Guidelines, utilizing the most advanced cardiac ultrasound systems in the world. Detailed Echocardiographic Studies with premier image quality including:

Exceptional, High Definition, 2D, and 4D image quality
2D and 4D speckle tracking (strain) imaging
4D LV & RV Volume Analysis and 4D LV Mass assessment
4D Aortic Valve and Mitral Valve Quantification.

We are proud to announce that our Lab uses one of the best and most advanced semi-supine bicycle ergometers in stress echocardiography. Using this technology would provide more accurate screening for coronary artery disease, exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension, LV diastolic dysfunction (diastolic stress testing), and hemodynamic assessment of valvular diseases (including prosthetic valves) and cardiomyopathies.

Exercise stress testing is a validated diagnostic test for coronary artery disease in symptomatic patients and is used in the evaluation of patients with known cardiac disease. Generally, it is indicated for the assessment of patients presenting with chest pain. Testing of asymptomatic patients is generally not indicated. It may be performed in select deconditioned adults before starting a vigorous exercise program. Preoperative exercise stress testing is helpful for risk stratification in patients undergoing vascular surgery or who have active cardiac symptoms before undergoing nonemergent noncardiac surgery.

The ankle-brachial index test is a quick, non-invasive way to check your risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD). Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) is a manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis which affecting 20% of people aged over 65 years (NICE, 2012). Two-thirds of PAD patients in the community have no symptoms (silent disease) and is associated with a 3 to the 6-fold increased risk of death from cardiovascular causes (NICE, 2012). PAD is easily diagnosed and quantified by means of the Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) which is determined by dividing the blood pressure at the ankle by the blood pressure at the arm.

If the ABI is ≤0.9 it is considered diagnostic of the disease. Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of global death and disability around the world.

Early identification of CVD risk factors and disease is vital in securing future advances against the disease. Current guidelines recommend the same strategy of cardiovascular risk management for people with PAD as for those with coronary artery disease (NICE, 2012 and ESC, 2011).

In asymptomatic individuals, ABI can provide incremental information beyond standard risk scores to predict future cardiovascular events. Persons who have an ABI of 0.9 or less, or 1.4 or greater, are at increased risk of cardiovascular events and mortality, regardless of the presence of PAD symptoms or other cardiovascular risk factors.

An ABI between 0.91 and 1.0 is considered borderline for cardiovascular risk. Additional evaluation is appropriate in these cases.
Our Dopplex Ability Automatic ABI System provides easy, fast and accurate measurements with an immediate printout of results.