Cardiopulmonary / Respiratory Care

The Cardiopulmonary department is staffed 24 hours a day and includes respiratory therapists, LPNs and EKG technicians.  All members of this heath care team are uniquely trained to treat conditions of the cardiopulmonary systems.

They perform procedures that are both diagnostic and therapeutic including:

• administration of medications in aerosol form to alleviate breathing problems and prevent respiratory infections;
• utilizing equipment to monitor a patient's responses to therapy;
• maintaining a patient's artificial airway (one that may be in place to help the patient who is unable to breathe through normal means)
• measuring the capacity of a patient's lungs to determine if there is impaired function.

Tests that may be performed in the Cardiopulmonary department are:

ABG (Arterial Blood Gas)

An arterial blood gas test measures the acidity (pH) and the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood form an artery. This test is used to check how well you lungs are able to move oxygen into the blood and remove carbon dioxide from the blood.  An ABG test is done to check for severe breathing problems, and lung diseases . This test is preformed on an outpatient basis and does not need to be scheduled.

EKG (Electrocardiogram)

An electrocardiogram is a noninvasive test that is used to reflect underlying heart conditions be measuring the electrical activity of the heart. By positioning leads on the body in standardized locations, information about many heart conditions can be learned by looking for characteristic patterns on the EKG. This test is done on an outpatient basis and does not need to be scheduled.

Pulmonary Function Testing

This test help doctors identify certain disease processes that may affect your lungs. We perform the test with an instrument called a spirometer. The spriometer gives the doctor information on how much air that you can get into and out of your lungs. Finding out how much air and how well it flows can help the doctor determine what type of lung problem a patient may have. This diagnostic test will need to be scheduled through our centralized scheduling department at 337-374-7539.

EEG (Electroencephalogram)

An electroencephalogram is a diagnostic test that records the patterns of electrical output form the brain. It is used as an aide in the treatment of various conditions, most notably, the diagnosis of epilepsy and other seizure type activity. This diagnostic test will need to be scheduled through our centralized scheduling department at 337-374-7539.