What Is a Cardiology Technician?

Cardiology technicians assist cardiologists by scheduling appointments, reviewing patients' files, monitoring testing and assisting in diagnosis of cardio and/or vascular diseases. Many cardiology technicians choose to further specialize as cardiovascular technologists, electrocardiograph (EKG) technicians, cardiac sonographers or vascular technicians.

Cardiovascular Technologists

• Cardiovascular technologists specialize in invasive procedures such as heart catheterization where a catheter is inserted from a patient's groin to his heart and balloon angioplasty to treat blocked blood vessels and heart valves. A cardiovascular technologist may also act as a phlebotomist, taking fluid samples for testing.

Electrocardiograph Technicians

• Electrocardiograph (EKG) technicians, also known as cardiographic technicians, conduct electrocardiograms by attaching electrodes to patients' chests, arms and legs to obtain a reading and printing the results for the physician to interpret. EKG technicians with advanced training may administer stress tests by monitoring the heart rate of a patient engaged in increasing activity on a treadmill. Trained EKG technicians may also administer a Holter monitoring system, basically a portable EKG worn by the patient for 24 to 48 hours, to monitor the heart's rhythm during typical patient activity.

Cardiac Sonographers

• Cardiac sonographers, also known as echocardiographers, administer an echocardiogram (or echo for short) using an ultrasound machine to view and take detailed pictures of patients' blood vessels, heart valves and chambers. These technicians may also administer medications to elevate patients' heart function.

Vascular Technicians

• Vascular technicians examine patients' pulse, blood flow, blood pressure and oxygen saturation to aid in the diagnosis of circulatory disorders. Vascular technicians also use ultrasound technology to monitory circulations in patients' brains and abdomens to assists in the diagnosis.

Training

• Although four-year programs are increasingly available, most cardiovascular technologists, cardiac sonographers and vascular technicians receive an associates degree from a two-year program at a junior or community college. Electrocardiograph technicians, however, generally receive on the job training which typically lasts four to six weeks. Most employers prefer to train someone already in the health care field, such as nurses' aides. On-the-job training for Holter monitoring usually lasts 18 to 24 months. As an alternative to on-the-job training, one year certification programs exist for basic EKGs, Holter monitoring and stress testing.