Cardiograms

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In addition to Chemo Teaching, I also had an electrocardiogram (EKG) and echocardiogram (ECHO) on Friday. Treatment with trastuzamab (Herceptin) can cause weakness of the heart muscle, which leads to problems pumping blood and potentially congestive heart failure. In clinical trials, about two to three percent of those treated with chemotherapy plus trastuzumab had heart failure, compared to fewer than one percent of those treated with chemotherapy alone. Because of this, patients' hearts are monitored throughout treatment using EKGs and ECHOs. This first set of tests was to establish a pre-treatment baseline.

With each heartbeat, an electrical signal spreads from the top of the heart to the bottom. As it travels, the signal causes the heart to contract and pump blood. The process repeats with each new heartbeat. The heart's electrical signals set the rhythm of the heartbeat. An EKG is a simple test that records the heart's electrical activity. It shows how fast the heart is beating, whether the rhythm of the heartbeat is steady or irregular, and the strength and timing of electrical signals as they pass through each part of the heart. The test consisted of placing electrodes on my chest for a few minutes, and then it was done.

An ECHO uses sound waves to produce images of the heart. This commonly used test shows how the heart is beating and pumping blood, and a cardiologist can use the images from an ECHO to identify various abnormalities in the heart muscle and valves. This test, while equally painless, took longer than the EKG, maybe 20 minutes. The ultrasound tech placed the transducer (a small wand-like piece of equipment) at various locations on my chest and moved it around to take images of my heart from different angles. (She told me I have "a pretty heart - very photogenic".)

Running around to all of these tests and appointments is exhausting, but with each one I feel like I'm one step closer to being cancer-free. It's really important to me right now to feel like I'm doing something, anything, to make progress. However, Seth and I keep talking about how it's a marathon and not a sprint, and how we need to pace ourselves. It's been so long since my body has been in its normal state - it's been over two years of pregnancies, childbirth, breastfeeding, caring for a newborn, and now cancer. I feel strong but I know I need to use my strength wisely.

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