If you or a loved one needs testing for a heart or lung condition, Gila Regional Medical Center (GRMC) can help. We offer
cardiopulmonary testing such as exercise stress tests, electrocardiograms, and pulmonary function tests - conveniently close to home. You may even be able to receive financial assistance to pay for necessary tests.
"People don't need to travel to Tucson or Albuquerque to have cardiopulmonary testing," states the GRMC director of the cardiopulmonary department . "They can easily have their tests done right here where they live."
Many Conditions Evaluated
Cardiopulmonary tests help evaluate patients for many conditions, including:
- Heart conditions: Heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, heart rhythm disorders
- Lung conditions: Asthma, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary fibrosis
Services We Offer
Cardiopulmonary tests are available at GRMC with a doctor's order. The tests we offer include:
- Electrocardiogram (ECG): This test measures the electrical activity of the heart.
- Holter monitoring: Patients wear a small recording device that continuously monitors their heart rhythm for abnormalities. The device is worn for 24 to 48 hours.
- Exercise stress tests: These tests can help your doctor decide whether you have heart disease by evaluating how well the heart performs during exercise. Patients walk on a treadmill at changing speeds while their heartbeat and heart waves are recorded in an ECG.
- Nuclear stress tests: This test involves taking two sets of images of your heart - one set during an exercise stress test while you're exercising on a treadmill or with medication that stresses your heart, and another while you're at rest. A nuclear stress test is used to gather information about how well your heart works during physical activity and at rest.
- Chemical stress tests: Patients who can't use a treadmill may have a chemical stress test instead. Medication delivered intravenously increases stress on the heart.
- Pulmonary function tests: These tests measure how well the lungs exchange oxygen, and diagnose obstructions or lung disease.
- Arterial blood gas analysis: This test measures how much oxygen and carbon dioxide are in the blood and determines the blood's acidity. It may be used to evaluate respiratory diseases and conditions affecting the lungs.
Payment options for GRMC's Cardiopulmonary/Sleep Lab
Medicare, Medicaid, and most insurance plans cover costs of care. We accept all patients regardless of ability to pay. For more information contact GRMC Financial Counselors through the Patient Finance Services.
Contact Us
For more information on cardiopulmonary testing at GRMC, call Rexine Sierra, RRT., at (575)538-4193.