Services
Our Expertise
Home Oxygen Assessment
What is involved?
Our home oxygen assessment is to determine if a patient will qualify for ongoing home oxygen therapy. It involves a Gas Transfer Study (TLCO) breathing test, blood collection for gas analysis and a 6-minute walk test.
Please advise staff at time of booking, if currently on home oxygen or recently been admitted to hospital.
Patient instructions
Patients should wear comfortable loose clothing and flat pair of comfortable flat-soled shoes/runners suitable for the 6-minute walk test.
Patients should refrain from taking puffers or inhalers 4 hours prior to the test IF POSSIBLE and no smoking or drinking alcohol on the day of test. Bring puffers or inhalers to the test.
Time
Allow 60 minutes.
Bronchial Provocation Test
What is involved?
Involves a baseline spirometry followed by inhaling increasing does of a mild irritant (mannitol powder), and repeating spirometry after each dose to check for significant drops in lung function. The procedure if finished with administrating a bronchodilator to reverse any symptoms.
Patient instructions
- Strictly no inhalers on the day of the test
- No nasal decongestants 24 hours before the test (eg: Rhinocort, Beconase)
- No antihistamines the week before the test
- No caffeine on the day of the test (eg: Tea, Coke, Coffee)
- No alcohol or smoking on the day of the test
Time
Allow 1-1.5 hours
Body Plethsmography Breathing Test
What is involved?
It is a non-invasive lung function test, performed by our clinical staff member that measures lung volumes and airway resistance by having the patient sit inside our airtight booth and undertake a series of breathing maneuvers through a mouthpiece. It is used to help diagnose and manage various lung and airway diseases.
Patient instructions
Patients should refrain from taking puffers or inhalers 4 hours prior to the test IF POSSIBLE and no smoking or drinking alcohol on the day of test. Bring any puffers or inhalers to the test.
Time
Allow 60 minutes.
Six- minute Walk Test
What is involved?
A six-minute walk test (6WMT) is a simple test that measures how far a person can walk in six minutes on a flat surface to access their functional exercise capacity. During the test, patients’ blood oxygen saturation levels are monitor, along with heart rate.
Patient instructions
Patients should wear comfortable flat-soled shoes/runners suitable for walking.
Time
Allow 15 minutes.
Extended & 24 hour Holter Monitoring
What is involved?
A Holter monitor is a portable ECG (electrocardiogram) device worn for 24-72 hours (or longer) and continuously records your heart’s electrical activity.
Our experienced staff will fit cardiac leads to your chest attached to a small device that attaches to your waist/pants.
Patient instructions
Please shower or bath prior to coming as for the first 24 hours we ask you not to remove it.
Whilst wearing the device, can’t get it wet, go near welding equipment or MRI machines.
Time
Allow 15 minutes.
Blood Pressure Monitoring
What is involved?
Is a portable blood pressure machine that is fitted to your upper arm and worn for a 24 hour period. The blood pressure takes a reading every 30 minutes during the day and every hour at night.
Patient instructions
Please shower or bath prior to coming as for the first 24 hours we ask you not to remove it.
Whilst wearing the device, cannot get it wet, go near welding equipment or MRI machines.
Time
Allow 15 minutes.
Electrocardiogram (E.C.G)
What is involved?
Quick non-invasive test that records the heart’s electrical activity, showing rhythm, rate and overall electrical health. This is performed lying down and attaching cardiac leads to patients chest.
Patient instructions
No preparation required
Time
Allow 15 minutes.
Stress Echocardiogram
What is involved?
An echocardiogram stress test or stress echo test determines how well your heart and blood vessels are working before and after exercise.
It involves a base line resting echocardiogram, prior and followed exercising on a treadmill to determine whether enough blood is getting to your heart muscle or if there a narrowing of arteries restricting the supply.
During exercise, the attending doctor monitors your blood pressure and heart rhythm.
Patients must be suitable to exercise on a treadmill. We currently do not undertake medically induced stress echocardiograms.
Patient instructions
Patients should wear comfortable loose clothing and flat pair of comfortable flat-soled shoes/runners suitable for exercising on the treadmill. (No thongs)
Knowledge of your current medication list along with any previous cardiac surgical procedure/s are important at the time of booking.
Please arrive 10 minutes prior to your test to read over and sign a consent form prior to the procedure.
Time
Allow 30-45minutes
Transthoracic Echocardiogram
What is involved?
A transthoracic echocardiogram (also called TTE or echo) is a non-invasive procedure that uses high frequency sound waves or ultrasound to take images of the heart and is performed by a qualified Cardiac Sonographer. It is used obtain images of the heart to assess the muscle, valves, chamber size and function.
It is used to help diagnose various heart conditions and assist with treatment.
It is a painless procedure using an ultrasound probe or transducer with gel across the chest wall while the patient is lying down.
Patient instructions
No preparation is required.
Time
Allow 45 minutes.
Exercise Stress Test
What is involved?
An electrocardiogram (ECG) stress test or Exercise stress test (EST), is a non-invasive test that records how your heat and blood vessels work during exercise, in our case, exercise on a treadmill. For the duration of the test, you are supervised and monitored by a Physician and a cardiac technician.
Patient instructions
Patients should wear comfortable loose clothing and flat pair of comfortable flat-soled shoes/runners suitable for exercising on the treadmill. (No thongs)
Please arrive 10 minutes prior to your test to read over and sign a consent form prior to the procedure.
Time
Allow 20 - 30 minutes.
Tilt Table
What is involved?
A tilt table test is a procedure used to investigate the cause of fainting or dizziness by monitoring heart rate and blood pressure as the patient is moved from a flat position to near-vertical one.
You will be lying on a bed with a footboard. This bed tilts up to 80 degrees when the test begins. Straps will be around you and handles either side are there to hold onto. Here you will stay for a duration of 20 minutes. During this time your pulse, blood pressure and heart rhythm will be continuously monitored.
If no symptoms arise during these 20 minutes, you will be given a drug (GTN spray) under your tongue. You will remain for a further 20 minutes tilted in the upright position or until such time symptoms arise.
Referrals are received via Wangaratta Cardiology and passed onto our Physician rooms for booking.
Patient instructions
Fast for 4 hours prior to test and please ensure to bring a support person, whom can drive the patient home after the procedure if required.
Please arrive 10 minutes prior to your test to read over and sign a consent form prior to the procedure.
Time
Allow 1.5 hours.
Spirometry
What is involved?
Is a common, non –invasive lung function test that measures how much air you can breath in and out, and how fast you can exhale, to check for breathing problems such as asthma and COPD conditions.
Patient instructions
Patients should refrain from taking puffers or inhalers 4 hours prior to the test
IF POSSIBLE and no smoking or drinking alcohol on the day of test. Bring any puffers or inhalers to the test.
Time
Allow 30 minutes.
Pacemaker/ Defibrillator Interrogation
What is involved?
Is a non-invasive interrogation (check) on your implanted heart device, including Pacemakers, Implantable Cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or Loop Recorder. The doctor will test the device to assess battery life, lead function and review any events that may have been recorded.
Patient instructions
No preparation required
Time
Allow 15-25 minutes.
Cardio Pulmonary Stress Test
What is involved?
Is a non-invasive test that measures how well your heart, lungs and muscles work together during exercise, all whilst monitoring vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure and blood oxygen levels. The test is performed either on a stationary exercise bike.
Patient instructions
Patients should wear comfortable loose clothing and flat pair of comfortable flat-soled shoes/runners suitable for exercising. (No thongs)
Time
Allow 1 hour.
