The Cardio/Neuro System

Neurocardiology refers to the interplay between the nervous system and the cardiovascular system. The cardiovascular and nervous systems are interconnected through a complex network of signals that regulate heart rate, blood pressure, and other cardiovascular functions. The nervous system, particularly the autonomic nervous system, controls the heart’s activity through sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways. The brain and heart communicate via afferent (sensory) and efferent (motor) pathways, allowing for rapid adjustments to meet the body’s changing needs. 

Some Important Aspects of Our Cardio-Neuro Screening

We can detect Peripheral Artery Disease with the Ankle-Brachial Index or ABI.

The Ankle-Brachial Index is a fast noninvasive test that measures for poor circulation or blocked arteries. ABI compares the blood pressure in your ankle to the blood pressure in your arm. If the blood flow to the legs is restricted, it could be a sign of peripheral artery disease (PAD) or other vascular issues.

ABI is important for early detection of poor blood flow, both in emergency settings, traumas and also for chronic conditions.

At Brand New Day ABI aids Dr. Andersen in deciding the best course of action for managing circulation-related conditions.

The patient lies down in a relaxed, quiet setting for accurate measurements and the test is comfortable and quick. Using a blood pressure cuff and an automated device to measure the systolic pressure in both the arm and ankle, and the ratio is calculated and indexed.

Brand New Day provides the ABI in conjunction with several other important vascular scores.

Other usful screenings and  tests:

Photoplethysmography (PPG) is a common non-invasive test that measures changes in blood volume, blood pumped with each heartbeat, how well blood vessels expand, heart rate variability (the time between heartbeats), blood flow changes, artery stiffness, oxygen levels, and heart rate.

The test is a comfortable and quick technique that tracks blood volume changes in the skin by shining light onto the skin and measuring how much is absorbed or reflected, which varies with blood flow from the heartbeat. The patient lies down in a relaxed, quiet setting for accurate measurements. Brand New Day provides PPG in conjunction with several other important vascular scores.

Brand New Day provides a Sudomotor function assessment (using sympathetic skin response) with a quick, non-invasive test that evaluates small nerve fibers. We use TM Flow to capture important insights into peripheral neuropathy and autonomic dysfunction. The purpose is early detection of diseases, tracking progression, and evaluating treatment responses.

Additionally, we use this advanced technique to evaluate sweating, an aspect of the peripheral autonomic nervous system and nerve function, both of which provide indicators for diagnosing small nerve fiber issues often seen in the early stages of Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes.

The test is a comfortable and quick technique that measures electrochemical skin conductance (ESC) in the feet.

The patient lies down in a relaxed, quiet setting for accurate measurements.

Brand New Day provides the Sudomotor evaluation in conjunction with several other important scores in a 15-minute test.