Cardiology

Our services cover the entire spectrum of non-invasive cardiologic diagnostics:

Ultrasound examinations

of the heart including stress echo under stress and with dobutamine,

of the carotid artery, leg perfusion, thrombosis diagnostics

ECG diagnostics

Resting ECG, exercise ECG, spiroergometry, long-term ECG, 24-hour blood pressure measurement, event recorder

Pacemaker checks

of all common companies

Health insurance benefits

Many examinations are covered by statutory health insurance as soon as you report cardiac complaints.

The German Social Code stipulates that health insurance benefits must be sufficient, appropriate and economical and must not exceed what is necessary. The health insurance fund does not have to reimburse purely cardiological check-ups in healthy people.

Individual health services (IGEL)

Carotid duplex examination

Ultrasound of the carotid artery provides information about calcification of the vessels and correlates with cardiovascular risk. Useful for smokers and those with a family history.

Sports medical check-up

For people over 35 who are new to sport or returning to it. Particularly useful if you are overweight, a smoker or have a family history of heart attacks.

The fee for IGeL services must be reimbursed during the examination appointment.

Investigations

• ECG
• Stress ECG
• Long-term ECG = 24h recording or multi-day recording
• Event recorder = event recording
• 24h blood pressure measurement
• Spiroergometry
• Pacemaker

The functionality of your pacemaker must be checked every 6-12 months if necessary.
6-monthly checks are mandatory for drivers.

We can check pacemakers from the following companies:

• St Jude – Medical
• Medtronic
• Biotronics
• Vitatron
• Boston-Scientific

You will find the name of the manufacturing company on your SM card.

Please bring the implantation report, the last check-up report and the pacemaker card to the initial check-up.

• Echocardiography = ultrasound of the heart
• Stress echocardiography

In stress echocardiography, the stress ECG is combined with the ultrasound examination.

In order to enable visualization, the stress test must be performed in a tilted half-sitting position on the left side. This examination allows functionally significant circulatory disorders of the myocardium to be detected at an earlier stage by disturbing the inward movement of the corresponding areas of the myocardium even before visible ECG changes occur. The method is particularly suitable for diabetes, women and hypertensive patients with poor reliability of the stress ECG to rule out coronary heart disease and provide information about the prognosis.

If physical exertion is not possible, e.g. due to orthopaedic problems, an infusion of a drug (dobutamine) is administered, which similarly stresses the heart.

• Vascular examinations of the arteries and veins
• CW Doppler = pressure measurement at the ankle arteries
• Duplex examination of the carotid artery = carotid duplex
• Duplex examinations of the leg arteries and veins
• High pressure

Arterial hypertension – high blood pressure

Around 20 million people in Germany have high blood pressure, although over six million are unaware of this and just as many are not receiving adequate treatment.

The probability of developing high blood pressure increases with age, with one in two people over the age of 50 already suffering from high blood pressure. As high blood pressure does not cause any symptoms for a long time, it is often recognized very late. So measure your blood pressure occasionally, this should be compulsory when you visit your GP.

Early detection and consistent reduction of high blood pressure to normal levels are essential to prevent long-term consequences

The consequences of prolonged high blood pressure are hardening of the arteries, heart failure, stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and other vascular damage.

High blood pressure is the main risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the most common cause of death in the Federal Republic of Germany.

The consequences of high blood pressure can be largely avoided by taking preventive measures such as eating properly, avoiding obesity, taking sufficient exercise, reducing stress, avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, early detection of risk factors and timely treatment, whether non-medicinal or medicinal.

You can find out more about the German Hypertension League and obtain further information on high blood pressure on the Internet at www.hochdruckliga.de

In our practice we have modern equipment and trained staff to diagnose hypertension and its late complications, to inform you and the doctor has many years of personal experience in adjusting blood pressure, especially in problem patients with difficult-to-adjust hypertension.

• Prevention

means “precaution”

It is natural for all of us to make financial provision for our old age.

Unfortunately, in most cases it does not apply to our health – but…

“Healthy arteries are similar to pensions – you have to invest early.

Nobody would start investing money at 64 and hope to be rich at 65 “

See for yourself at the appropriate doctor-patient consultation, every time you contact a sick patient, your situation, medication and performance will be addressed individually and attempts will be made to optimize prevention (primary prevention) and aftercare (secondary prevention). Unfortunately, the current reimbursement of costs by the statutory health insurance system limits the time available for this.

Longer individual consultations are possible for a fee.

The German Heart Foundation also offers you as a patient the opportunity to become a member or to order information about heart disease.