Cardiovascular technologists and technicians assist physicians in diagnosing and treating cardiac (heart) and peripheral vascular (blood vessel) ailments. They perform ultrasound or cardiovascular procedures and monitor patient’s heart rates. They also operate and care for testing equipment, explain test procedures, and compare findings to a standard to identify problems. Other day to day activities vary significantly between specialties. CVTs may specialize in three areas of practice: invasive cardiology, echocardiography, or vascular technology.
CVTs specializing in invasive procedures are called cardiology technologists. They assist physicians with cardiac catheterization. CVTs assist as the physician inserts a catheter with a balloon on the end to the point of obstruction. This procedure can determine whether a blockage exists in the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle. Part of the procedure may involve balloon angioplasty, which can be used to treat blockages of blood vessels of heart valves without the need for heart surgery. Another procedure with a catheter is an electrophysiology test. An electrophysiology test can help locate the specific areas of heart tissue that give rise to the abnormal electrical impulses that cause arrhythmias. During the procedures, CVTs monitor patient’s blood pressure and heart rate with EKG equipment and notify the physician if something appears to be wrong. Technologists may also prepare and monitor patients during open heart surgery and during the insertion of pacemakers and stents that open up blockages in arteries to the heart and major blood vessels.
Technologists who specialize in vascular technology or echocardiography perform noninvasive tests which do not require the insertion of probes or other instruments into the patient’s body. For example, procedures such as Doppler ultrasound transmit high-frequency sound waves into areas of the patient’s body and then processes reflected echoes of the sound waves to form an image.
Technicians who assist physicians in the diagnosis of disorders affecting circulation are known as vascular technologists or vascular sonographers. Vascular technologists evaluate pulses and assess blood flow in arteries and veins by listening to the vascular flow sounds for abnormalities. Then they perform a noninvasive procedure using ultrasound instruments to record vascular information such as vascular blood flow, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, cerebral circulation, peripheral circulation, and abdominal circulation. Many of these tests are performed during or after surgery.
Echocardiography is an area of practice that includes giving electrocardiograms (EKGs) and sonograms of the heart. Cardiovascular technicians who specialize in EKGs, stress testing, and those who perform Holter monitor procedures are known as cardiographic or electrocardiograph (or EKG) technicians. Cardiac sonographers may also assist in transesophageal echocardiography, which involves placing a tube in the patient's esophagus to obtain ultrasound images.
To take a basic EKG, which traces electrical impulses transmitted by the heart, technicians attach electrodes to the patient’s chest, arms, and legs, and then manipulate switches on an EKG machine to obtain a reading. An EKG is printed out for interpretation by the physician. This test is done before most kinds of surgery or as part of a routine physical examination, especially on persons who have reached middle age or who have a history of cardiovascular problems.
For Holter monitoring, technicians place electrodes on the patient’s chest and attach a portable EKG monitor to the patient’s belt. For a treadmill test, EKG technicians monitor the heart's performance while the patient is walking on a treadmill, gradually increasing the treadmill's speed to observe the effect of increased exertion. Like vascular technologists and cardiac sonographers, cardiographic technicians who perform EKG, Holter monitoring, and stress tests are known as noninvasive technicians.
CVTs specializing in invasive procedures are called cardiology technologists. They assist physicians with cardiac catheterization. CVTs assist as the physician inserts a catheter with a balloon on the end to the point of obstruction. This procedure can determine whether a blockage exists in the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle. Part of the procedure may involve balloon angioplasty, which can be used to treat blockages of blood vessels of heart valves without the need for heart surgery. Another procedure with a catheter is an electrophysiology test. An electrophysiology test can help locate the specific areas of heart tissue that give rise to the abnormal electrical impulses that cause arrhythmias. During the procedures, CVTs monitor patient’s blood pressure and heart rate with EKG equipment and notify the physician if something appears to be wrong. Technologists may also prepare and monitor patients during open heart surgery and during the insertion of pacemakers and stents that open up blockages in arteries to the heart and major blood vessels.
Technologists who specialize in vascular technology or echocardiography perform noninvasive tests which do not require the insertion of probes or other instruments into the patient’s body. For example, procedures such as Doppler ultrasound transmit high-frequency sound waves into areas of the patient’s body and then processes reflected echoes of the sound waves to form an image.
Technicians who assist physicians in the diagnosis of disorders affecting circulation are known as vascular technologists or vascular sonographers. Vascular technologists evaluate pulses and assess blood flow in arteries and veins by listening to the vascular flow sounds for abnormalities. Then they perform a noninvasive procedure using ultrasound instruments to record vascular information such as vascular blood flow, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, cerebral circulation, peripheral circulation, and abdominal circulation. Many of these tests are performed during or after surgery.
Echocardiography is an area of practice that includes giving electrocardiograms (EKGs) and sonograms of the heart. Cardiovascular technicians who specialize in EKGs, stress testing, and those who perform Holter monitor procedures are known as cardiographic or electrocardiograph (or EKG) technicians. Cardiac sonographers may also assist in transesophageal echocardiography, which involves placing a tube in the patient's esophagus to obtain ultrasound images.
To take a basic EKG, which traces electrical impulses transmitted by the heart, technicians attach electrodes to the patient’s chest, arms, and legs, and then manipulate switches on an EKG machine to obtain a reading. An EKG is printed out for interpretation by the physician. This test is done before most kinds of surgery or as part of a routine physical examination, especially on persons who have reached middle age or who have a history of cardiovascular problems.
For Holter monitoring, technicians place electrodes on the patient’s chest and attach a portable EKG monitor to the patient’s belt. For a treadmill test, EKG technicians monitor the heart's performance while the patient is walking on a treadmill, gradually increasing the treadmill's speed to observe the effect of increased exertion. Like vascular technologists and cardiac sonographers, cardiographic technicians who perform EKG, Holter monitoring, and stress tests are known as noninvasive technicians.
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