Functional diagnostics. Methods of functional diagnostics

What is functional diagnostics? This is one of the sections of medical science, combining a number of diagnostic procedures that allow you to objectively assess the functionality of all organs and systems of the human body.

Methods of functional diagnostics

1. Removal of the electrocardiogram.
2. Echocardiography.
3. Halter monitoring of electrocardiograms.
4. Daily monitoring of blood pressure.
5. Treadmill test (cardiographic test conducted under load).
6. Color scanning of vessels: both duplex and triplex.
7. Electroencephalogram.
8. Research of ventilating abilities of the lungs and evaluation of the function of external respiration.

The place of their holding is the functional diagnostics room. And now let's talk about different methods of conducting more.

Electrocardiography

This method has become the most widespread and famous, besides it is one of the main in this section of medicine. The electrocardiograph registers and records on the paper or electronic carrier the indicators of cardiac electrical activity, so that the physician of functional diagnostics can, in the course of deciphering the information obtained, reveal many health problems in the patient, if any. Any violations of conduction and rhythm are detected, including. The specialist can assess how fully the myocardium is coping with its functions, diagnose, even at the earliest stage of development, various ischemic changes, including such a formidable pathology as myocardial infarction. The procedure for removing the electrocardiogram presents no danger to the patient's health and is absolutely painless. Her nurse is a functional diagnostic. Modern equipment that fixes the ECG, in addition to the actual conduct of the study, is able to accumulate in its memory a huge amount of data, and also on their basis to monitor the quality of patients' treatment courses.

Electrocardiogram with exercise

The second name of this method is treadmill tests of functional diagnostics. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that the electrocardiographic study is conducted not in a recumbent position, but during the patient receiving physical exertion on a special track for running.

Using the treadmill test, you can obtain the following data:

• How much the organism of the subject is tolerant of the body's stress;
• How the patient's cardiovascular system reacts to the increased physical activity;
• Do not appear at it or him disturbances of a warm rhythm under the influence of such manipulations;
• Deterioration in the supply of blood 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 to assess the work of the heart of the person under examination throughout the whole day. The place of its conduct is the separation of functional diagnostics. With the help of Holter monitoring, you can fix any kinds of arrhythmia (especially those that arise from time to time, and do not last long) and to identify 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, correction of drug therapy.

Daily monitoring of blood pressure

This method of blood pressure measurements conducts practically every branch of functional diagnostics. It is used to assess how effective is the patient's medication correction of blood pressure. To this end, during the day, a portable device is connected to the patient, recording how the indices of the blood pressure level change against the background of the patient's usual lifestyle. This method often helps to reveal the true level of A / D in a person, due to the elimination of situational hypertension, which occurs as a reaction to stress caused by a person's visit to a medical institution. In addition, daily monitoring helps to identify such a prognostically unfavorable symptom as nocturnal hypertension.

Echocardiography

This technique is of great importance for determining the features of the structure and functioning of the heart and the main vessels. The doctor performs a functional diagnosis. Echocardiography enables:

1. To detect the presence of both congenital and acquired defects in the structure of the heart.
2. Assess the structure and operation of the valves.
3. Determine the thickness and function of the myocardium in patients suffering from coronary heart disease, hypertension and other diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Electroencephalography

This examination provides an opportunity to assess the state of the brain, based on the definition of bioelectrical activity. Functional diagnostics of this organ is necessary if there are suspicions of various neurological pathologies, such as:

• Encephalopathy;
• Frequent syncope;
• oncological diseases;
• Epilepsy, etc.

Color scanning (duplex and triplex)

This method is the most modern and informative in terms of studying the blood vessels of a patient. It gives an opportunity to see both the vessels and surrounding tissues, just like 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:

1. Scanning of brachiocephalic arteries in their extracranial areas. With the help of it, the vessels that are called to supply the brain with blood are examined, 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 it include dizziness, headaches, hypertension, symptoms of impaired blood supply to the brain.
2. Scanning of arteries located in the limbs, makes it possible to assess the condition of the arterial walls, determine the presence of changes caused by atherosclerosis, the degree of stenosis of the lumen of blood vessels, the nature of the blood flow in them. This technique is the most optimal for determining the presence of Raynaud's syndrome, obliterating atherosclerosis, as well as for surgical interventions on the arteries.
3. Scanning of veins located in the extremities is a very informative method for determining early manifestations of thrombophlebitis, varicose veins, and the advisability of surgical intervention. This technique is of great importance for the detection of thrombosis and the determination of the state of a deeply located venous network. In addition, a thorough examination of the condition of the veins located in the lower limbs is mandatory during preparation for conducting cavitary operations.
4. Transcranial scanning. Functional diagnostics of this technique makes it possible to conduct an accurate assessment of the blood flow in the vessels located at the base of the brain. Due to this diagnostic procedure, it became possible to determine the root causes of circulatory disorders and its degree, and to prescribe the most appropriate treatment.