Nuclear Cardiac Stress Testing a popular service at Veterans Memorial Hospital


Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon began nuclear cardiac stress testing, pictured here, within its Cardiac Rehab unit in 2008. The convenience of having these nuclear tests offered on a local level has been well received by many in the community since it began. Nuclear Cardiac Stress Testing offers two different methods, the Exercise Nuclear Stress Test and Lexiscan Nuclear Imaging. Both are new methods in detecting heart disease and can increase the likelihood of finding heart disease by 20% when compared to traditional stress tests. Pictured is a patient undergoing a stress test on the treadmill with Dr. Steven Perkins, at right, monitoring the results. At left is Bill from Nuclear Imaging, and Dietsy Weymiller, RN, Cardiac Rehab Nurse. This local service allows Veterans Memorial Hospital to provide advanced cardiac testing with state-of-the-art technology right here locally. Submitted photo.

Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) in Waukon began nuclear cardiac stress testing within its Cardiac Rehabilitation unit in 2008. The convenience of having these nuclear tests offered on a local level has been well received by many in the community since it began.
Nuclear Cardiac Stress Testing offers two different methods, both highly effective in detecting heart disease. These two new forms of nuclear stress testing are called the Exercise Nuclear Stress Test and Lexiscan Nuclear Imaging.  Both methods can increase the likelihood of finding heart disease by 20% when compared to traditional treadmill stress tests.
While traditional treadmill stress testing is still very effective, the new nuclear cardiac testing has many advantages. It can give the location of blockages in the heart and can help determine whether the heart muscle can be saved by a cardiologist. It can also determine the strength at which the heart pumps blood to the rest of the body, and can be used to reassess the heart muscle after a heart attack, after having stents placed in the arteries and after heart surgery.
Plus women receive fewer false-positive results with the nuclear testing than they do the traditional treadmill stress testing. Since the new nuclear stress testing allows the physicians to see the heart muscle itself instead of relying on tracings, there are few uncertainties when determining one’s risk for heart disease.
Dr. Steven Perkins of the Mayo Clinic Health System-Waukon was instrumental in bringing this service to the area. The process of having either the Exercise Nuclear Stress Test or the Lexiscan Nuclear Imaging stress test takes approximately four hours total. The patient receiving the Exercise Nuclear Stress Test does still need to exercise on the treadmill while being monitored by the physician.
The Lexiscan, or chemical stress test, is a method that can be used on those unable to exercise due to arthritis of the knees, hips, or due to poor exercise tolerance.  These tests do have their limitations and some patients with severe COPD or Asthma should not undergo the chemical stress testing. The traditional treadmill stress tests take about 1-1/2 hours to perform. It will be up to the provider to determine which test is right for each patient.
“Prior to this service being added to Veterans Memorial Hospital, many patients would have to go to a larger facility and have a cardiologist perform these tests.  Now we are able to provide advanced cardiac testing with state-of-the-art technology right here at home,” states Dr. Perkins. “This technology has advanced our standing in northeast Iowa and it will continue to show everyone that Veterans Memorial Hospital and the providers associated with it are all top-notch.”
These new nuclear stress testing methods, as well as the traditional treadmill stress tests, are offered at Veterans Memorial Hospital on an outpatient basis. Any local medical provider can write an order for these tests to be scheduled at the hospital. Nuclear stress testing is available Thursdays by Dr. Steven Perkins and Dr. Dave Schwartz. Traditional treadmill stress tests are available any day of the week.
For more information, call the Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.