William M. Hudson M.D., F.A.C.C.

All of the below services are performed in our office by Dr. William M. Hudson

General cardiology:

Comprehensive in-office evaluation and treatment by Dr. Hudson for the diagnosis and treatment of heart-related conditions which include hypertension, valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, bypass surgery, carotid artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, heart rhythm disturbances and lipid disorders. In many cases, patients are seen here not because of heart disease, but because of symptoms they have experienced that have raised concerns in their own minds about the possibility of having heart disease. For example, healthy people with chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, swelling of the extremities, blackout spells and transient neurologic symptoms all come here for definitive diagnosis. Those with risk factors such as a strong family history of heart disease may wish to establish cardiac care as well.

Preoperative cardiac evaluation prior to non-cardiac surgery. 

Many patients who are facing non-cardiac surgery are requested by their surgeon to have a cardiac evaluation prior to the planned surgery. The purpose of this referral is to determine if a patient may have unsuspected and undiagnosed heart disease that would lead to complications during the procedure that is planned by your surgeon. A comprehensive in-office evaluation by Dr. Hudson will determine the need if further cardiac diagnostic testing is needed prior to your surgery.

In–Office Diagnostic Tests

12 Lead Electrocardiogram:

This is a simple, non-invasive test, routinely known as an “EKG”. It is an excellent screening tool and is a routine part of evaluation for a cardiac patient.

Exercise Stress Test:

An exercise treadmill test is performed by the patient walking on a treadmill with continuous 12 lead EKG and Blood pressure monitoring. This test is often done for initial evaluation of chest pain, shortness of breath, or other cardiac signs or symptoms as well as evaluation of fitness, physical exertion or estimates of exercise capacity.

Nuclear Stress Test:

(Myocardial Perfusion Imaging). This test is similar to an Exercise Stress test but with the addition of advanced imaging to provide highly diagnostic information as to the presence/ absence of blockages in the heart blood vessels as well as the “pumping capacity” of the heart. The purpose of a nuclear stress test is to help diagnose the presence or absence of coronary artery disease. That is, plaque formation in the arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood which could lead to a heart attack. It is often used as a follow up for abnormal findings on an Exercise Stress Test or for high- risk patients and those who cannot perform exercise on a treadmill.

Our office is an Accredited Nuclear Cardiology Laboratory, having been accorded this honor by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Nuclear Medicine Laboratories.

ACCREDITATION PAGE CLICK HERE

Cardiac Blood Pool Imaging:

(MUGA) This is an advanced imaging test used to evaluate the hearts “pumping ability” using nuclear medicine techniques.

Cardiac Echocardiography:

This is a non-invasive ultrasound of the heart. It provides detailed sonographic images of your heart structures, heart valves and its “pumping “ability. Our office is an Accredited Echocardiography Laboratory, having been awarded this honor by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories.

ACCREDITATION PAGE CLICK HERE

Vascular studies:

Our office provides a wide range of non-invasive ultrasound tests which are designed to determine if a patient has hardening of the arteries or other vascular concerns such as blockages or blood clots. These tests include:

• Carotid artery ultrasound (arteries in the neck that carry blood flow to the head)
  
• Abdominal ultrasound (arteries in torso )
  
• Renal artery ultrasound (arteries that carry blood to kidneys and can be involved with high blood pressure)
  
• Lower extremity arterial ultrasound (arteries in legs, leg pain is a common symptom
• Lower extremity venous ultrasound (blood flow of veins in legs )

Pacemaker and Implanted Defibrillator follow up.

Patients with these electronic devices are followed through our office to determine the proper functioning of the device, including status of the device’s battery life. This is done by a combination of trans- telephonic remote check-ups and in-office device evaluations.

Holter Monitors and Event Recorders.

These are heart monitors that patients keep attached to their body from 24 hours days to several weeks. These are indicated for the evaluation of patients who have had blackout spells or palpitations whose origins are unknown