There are three main types of cardiovascular technologist fields -invasive cardiology, echocardiography and vascular technology.
Invasive cardiovascular technologists are called cardiology technologists. They assist doctors during cardiac testing procedures and surgeries. The main invasive cardiology test performed on patients is catheterization. This procedure involves insertion of a small tube into a patient's vein in the upper leg. The tube is then moved towards the heart to test for blockages. If a blockage is detected, treatment may include balloon angioplasty. Cardiology technologists also prepare patients for testing and surgery by shaving, cleaning and providing local anesthesia to their charges. During procedures, cardiology techs monitor patient blood pressure and heart rate with EKG machines. They may also assist with heart surgeries like open-heart surgery and pacemaker implantation.
Cardiovascular technologists who work with electrocardiogram (EKG) equipment are called EKG technicians. They perform noninvasive testing on patients using EKG machines that test the heart's electrical activity. Technicians attach leads to the patient and utilize the EKG machine to get a printed readout of the heart data. Advanced EKG technicians may perform Holter monitoring which uses a smaller EKG machine that is a connected to the patient for 24 hours which tests for everyday heart activity. Treadmill stress tests are also performed by EKG technicians.
Vascular technologists also utilize noninvasive testing methods for heart patients. Instead of measuring the heart's electrical activity, vascular techs use ultrasound technology to measure blood flow and circulation. They perform these tests during surgery or immediately after and report their findings to cardiologists.
In addition to patient testing duties, cardiovascular techs may also schedule appointments, maintain patient files and perform test equipment maintenance.
