One of our primary goals at First Coast Cardiovascular Institute is to ensure your experience with us is as comfortable and smooth as possible. We’ve prepared this patient resource section to help you learn more about the administrative aspects of your care.
PREPARE FOR YOUR TEST OR PROCEDURE:
NON-INVASIVE VASCULAR LABORATORY INSTRUCTIONS
Why am I having this test: Reasons, Explanations & Testing Preparations
Aorta Duplex Instructions
Mesenteric Artery Doppler Ultrasound Intestinal Arteries Instructions
Venous Doppler Ultrasound Instructions
PET/CT SCAN Cardiac Positron Emission Tomography (PET) exams are an advanced way we evaluate your heart health by measuring how well blood flows through the coronary arteries to your heart muscle. Unlike an MRI or CT scan, a cardiac PET scan not only provides detailed images but also shows how your heart is functioning in real time. This allows our team to safely and accurately detect the presence or absence of coronary artery disease, especially for patients experiencing symptoms or who may have certain risk factors. Trusted by physicians for decades for its precision and reliability, cardiac PET scanning helps us diagnose heart conditions early and determine the best next steps for your care, whether that means additional testing, treatment, or peace of mind. PET/CT Instructions
EPWORTH SLEEPINESS SCALE
This is a scale intended to measure daytime sleepiness. It is measured by a very short questionnaire. This can be helpful in diagnosing sleep disorders. Learn More About Epworth Sleepiness Scale.
NUCLEAR STRESS TEST The purpose of your test is to determine if and/or where you have coronary artery disease and to find, if any, blockages in the vessels of your heart muscle. We do this by taking two pictures of your heart. Nuclear Stress Test Instructions
TREADMILL STRESS TEST We will record your baseline parameters, including heart rate and blood pressure. Our office follows the standardized exercise protocols of increasing speed and increasing elevation to attain the appropriate target heart rate for your age. Once you’ve finished exercising, you will continue to be monitored until your baseline levels are achieved. Treadmill Stress Test Instructions
RENAL ULTRASOUND The purpose of this test is to determine if you have any blockages in your renal arteries and/or kidneys by ultrasound. Renal Ultrasound Instructions
ABDOMINAL ULTRASOUND The purpose of this test is to determine if you have an abdominal aortic aneurysm, or AAA. If this test was scheduled for you, your physician possibly heard a loud noise in your stomach, often called a bruit. Sometimes that can suggest an AAA. Abdominal Ultrasound Instructions
MUGA (Mutigated Acquisition) TEST A MUGA (Mutigated Acquisition) Scan is performed to evaluate the pumping action of the heart muscle and is used to measure the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively to the rest of the body through the vascular system. MUGA Test Instructions
