Cardiac Sciences Unit

The Cardiac Sciences Unit (CSU) within the Cardiac Investigations Unit provides cardiac clinical measurements services to diagnose and/or manage cardiac diseases.

Our services

• Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM)
• Cardiac Device Implants and follow up (Pacemakers and Implantable Cardiac Defibrillators)
• Echocardiography (Cardiac Ultrasound/Sonography)
• Electrocardiography (ECG)
• Electrophysiology and associated procedures
• Exercise stress test (including Stress Echocardiography and Nuclear Medicine)
• Haemodynamic Monitoring  during Cardiac Catheterisation and associated procedures
• Holter Fitting and Analysis
• Haemodynamic Monitoring
• Outreach Services – Scientific support to the Indigenous Community Outreach Program
• Scientific Services in the Heart and Lung Institute Outpatients Clinic
• Tilt Table Tests
• Trans-telephonic Pacemaker Clinics and Remote Pacemaker/ICD monitoring – including services to regional Queensland

Cardiac Sciences Unit also has a number of areas providing interrelated services, these include:

Echocardiography Laboratory

The Echocardiography Laboratory provides adult cardiac ultrasound services, including adult congenital heart disease. Investigations include:

• transthoracic echocardiograms
• transoesophageal echocardiograms
• exercise stress echocardiograms
• dobutamine stress echocardiograms

Exercise Laboratory

The Exercise Laboratory provides both adult and adult congenital heart disease services. Investigations include:

• Exercise Stress Tests
• Pharmacological Stress Tests (Adenosine and Dobutamine)
• Exercise Echocardiography
• Tilt Table Tests

Holter /ABPM / HAM/ ECG Department

The Holter, ABPM, HAM and ECG Department provides both adult and adult congenital heart disease services. Investigations include:

• Holter Monitoring and Analysis
• Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM)
• Home Arrhythmia Monitor Application (HAM)
• Outpatient Electrocardiography
• Signal-Averaged Electrocardiography

Pacemaker and Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) Clinic

The Pacemaker and ICD Clinic provides device follow up and monitoring including:

• Pacemaker follow up clinics
• Trans-telephonic pacemaker clinics from regional hospitals
• Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) follow up clinic
• Implantable and external arrhythmia monitor (HAM and Loop recorder) follow-up
• Follow-up from home of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) via web-based systems.

How to access this service

To access this service, your GP or medical practitioner will need to send a referral letter to the hospital.

If there is a waiting list for your outpatient appointment, you will receive a confirmation letter and be advised on what to do next. If there is no waiting list, you will receive an appointment booking letter or we will contact you to arrange a suitable time for your outpatient appointment.

After your hospital appointment

Your doctor may advise that you require a procedure. If this is the case you will be placed on a waiting list and may need to attend the Pre-admission or Anaesthetic Clinic before your procedure.

What to bring

Clinics