What is functional diagnostics? This is one of the sections of medical science that combines a number of diagnostic procedures that allow you to objectively evaluate the functionality of all organs and systems of the human body.
Functional Diagnostic Methods
- Electrocardiogram removal.
- Echocardiography.
- Holter electrocardiogram monitoring.
- Daily monitoring of blood pressure.
- Treadmill test (cardiographic study conducted under load).
- Color scanning of vessels: both duplex and triplex.
- Electroencephalogram.
- Study of ventilation abilities of the lungs and assessment of the function of external respiration.
Their venue is the functional diagnostics room. Now let's talk about the various methods of conducting more.
Electrocardiography
This method has received the greatest distribution and fame, in addition, it is one of the main in this section of medicine. The electrocardiograph registers and fixes on a paper or electronic media indicators of cardiac electrical activity, so that a functional diagnostics doctor can, during the decryption of the information received, identify many health problems in the patient, if any. Any conduction and rhythm disturbances are detected. The specialist can evaluate how fully the myocardium copes with its functions, diagnose even at the very early stage of development various ischemic changes, including such a formidable pathology as myocardial infarction. The procedure for removing the electrocardiogram does not pose any danger to the patient’s health and is absolutely painless. Conducted by her nurse functional diagnostics. Modern equipment that records the ECG, in addition to actually conducting the study, is able to accumulate a huge amount of data in its memory, and also on its basis to monitor the quality of treatment courses passed by patients.
Load electrocardiogram
The second name of this method is the treadmill tests of functional diagnostics. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that the electrocardiographic examination is carried out not in the supine position, but while the patient is getting physical activity on a special track for running.
Using the treadmill test you can get the following data:
- how tolerant the organism is to the stress of the body;
- how the patient's cardiovascular system responds to increased physical activity;
- Does he have heart rhythm disturbances under the influence of such manipulations;
- deterioration in the quality of blood supply to the heart muscle (ischemia, especially its painless forms);
- evaluate how much the antiarrhythmic, anti-ischemic or antihypertensive therapy has affected the patient’s condition.
Hotler monitoring of electrocardiograms
This method is used in order to evaluate the work of the heart of the person being examined throughout the whole day. The venue is the Department of Functional Diagnostics. Using Holter monitoring, you can record any type of arrhythmia (especially those that occur from time to time, but do not last long) and identify the early stages of coronary heart disease. Such functional diagnostics is used to determine the presence of indications for surgical intervention on the heart, coronary angiography, and correction of drug therapy.
Daily monitoring of blood pressure
This method of measuring blood pressure conducts almost every department of functional diagnostics. It is used to evaluate how effective is the medical correction of blood pressure performed by the patient. For this purpose, a portable device is connected to the patient during the day, recording how the blood pressure levels change against the background of the patient’s usual lifestyle. It is this method that often helps to identify the true level of A / D in a person, due to the exclusion of situational hypertension that occurs as a reaction to stress caused by a person visiting a medical institution. In addition, daily monitoring helps to identify a prognostically unfavorable symptom such as nocturnal hypertension.
Echocardiography
This technique is of great importance for determining the features of the structure and functioning of the heart and major vessels. A doctor of functional diagnostics conducts such an examination. Echocardiography makes it possible:
- To detect the presence of both congenital and acquired defects in the structure of the heart.
- Assess the structure and operation of the valves.
- Determine the thickness and functioning of the myocardium in patients suffering from coronary heart disease, hypertension and other diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Electroencephalography
This examination makes it possible to assess the state of the brain, based on the determination of bioelectric activity. Functional diagnosis of this organ is necessary if you suspect the presence of various neurological pathologies, such as:
- encephalopathy;
- frequent fainting;
- oncological diseases;
- epilepsy, etc.
Color scanning (duplex and triplex)
This method is the most modern and informative in terms of studying the patient's blood vessels. It makes it possible to see both the vessels and the surrounding tissue, in the same way as with simple ultrasound, in addition, to study the blood flow using its color mapping and spectral analysis, which are based on the Doppler effect.
Color scanning (duplex or triplex) includes such methods of functional diagnostics as:
- Scanning of brachiocephalic arteries in their extracranial departments. With it, blood vessels are examined that are designed to supply the brain with blood, the presence of atherosclerosis, the nature of atherosclerotic plaques, the degree of narrowing (stenosis) of the lumen of the vessels, the course of the vertebral arteries, their condition; it is determined whether there is compression under the influence of cervical osteochondrosis, the condition of the carotid and subclavian arteries. Indications for its implementation are dizziness, headaches, hypertension, symptoms of a disturbance in the blood supply to the brain.
- Scanning of arteries located in the limbs makes it possible to assess the state of arterial walls, determine the presence of changes caused by atherosclerosis, the degree of stenosis of the lumen of blood vessels, the nature of blood flow in them. This technique is most optimal for determining the presence of Raynaud's syndrome, obliterating atherosclerosis, as well as during surgical interventions on the arteries.
- Scanning veins located in the extremities is a very informative method for determining the early manifestations of thrombophlebitis, varicose veins, the appropriateness of surgical intervention. This technique is of great importance for detecting thrombosis and determining the condition of a deeply located venous network. In addition, a thorough examination of the condition of the veins located in the lower extremities is mandatory during preparation for abdominal surgery.
- Transcranial scanning. The functional diagnostics of this technique makes it possible to accurately assess the state of blood flow in the vessels located at the base of the brain. Thanks to this diagnostic procedure, it became possible to determine the root causes of circulatory disorders and its degree, as well as prescribe the most appropriate treatment.