A young, apparently healthy 35yearold male has a consultation appointment with a cardiologist today in the office where you work as a medical assistant. When he presents to the office, he complains of a recent onset of shortness of breath and an unexplained swelling (edema) of the lower extremities. As part of the screening process, the physician orders an electrocardiogram (ECG), which shows abnormalities. The patient states that he had some dental work done approximately 2 weeks before the symptoms of shortness of breath and edema began. Because the ECG was abnormal, the physician asks you to schedule a stress test with Doppler studies for later in the week. The diagnosis on the chart is to rule out a suspected cardiomyopathy. As you read this chapter, consider the following questions:

1			What was the purpose of the ECG?
2			What special instructions should be provided to the patient when scheduling him for the stress test and Doppler studies?
3			What educational requirements should you meet in order to conduct these tests with the physician present?