GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR
PREPARATIONS FOR SOME COMMON CARDIAC TESTS
(Individual cases may have slight variations)
Preparation before
coronary angiogram or angioplasty
- Don’t eat anything for at least 4 hours before your test.
- Water can be taken as usual.
- Take all your medications to the hospital with you in their original bottles.
- Take usual medications unless advised to stop a particular drug.
- DO NOT STOP ASPIRIN
- For ANGIOPLASTY you will need to be on additional anti-platelet agents (Clopidogrel, Ticagrelor or Prasugrel)
- Kindly stop Anticoagulant drugs (Rivaroxaban {Xarelto}, Apixaban {Eliquis}, Dabigatran {Pradaxa} 24-48 hours before test. Warfarin has to be stopped 5 days prior to planned procedure
- If you have diabetes, ask your doctor if you should take insulin or other oral medications before your test.Stop Medications like Metformin (24 hours before test and for another 48 hours after test.)
Preparation before transoesophageal echocardiogram (TOE)
- You should have nothing to eat or
drink for at least 6 hours before the test.
- You can take your tablets with small sip of water early in the morning.
Preparation before DC Cardioversion
(DCCV)
- You should have nothing to eat or
drink for at least 6 hours before the test.
- You can take your tablets with small sip of water early in the morning.
Preparation before Dobutamine Stress echocardiogram (DSE)
- You should have nothing to eat or drink for at least 4 hours before the test.
- You can take your tablets with small
sip of water early in the morning.
- Kindly withhold heart rate
controlling drugs (beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, digoxin 24 hours
before the test) after discussion with your doctor.
Preparation before Exercise Stress echocardiogram (ESE)
- You should have nothing to eat or
drink for at least 2 hours before the test.
- You can take your tablets with small
sip of water early in the morning.
- Kindly withhold heart rate
controlling drugs (beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, digoxin 24-48 hours
before the test) after discussion with your doctor
