What Is the Head-up Tilt Test (Hutt)?
If you feel lightheaded, have a rapid heartbeat upon standing, or suffer from fainting spells it's very important that you reach out to your doctor. They can recommend you undergo the head-up tilt-table (HUTT) test or tilt-table test, as it's otherwise called. It is a method used to determine the cause for the above-mentioned conditions, among others. Contact your Tomball, TX, specialist Dr. Daljit Muttiana of Cardiovascular Institute to learn more.
Why HUTT is Performed
The HUTT test is typically prescribed to patients when their doctor suspects certain conditions, including hypotension, syncope, or postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). All of these affect the body in different ways but can bring on troubling symptoms at the moment of standing up. From an altered heartbeat to possible fainting and loss of consciousness.
How HUTT is Performed
The test begins with you lying on your back on a special table that is motorized so that it can be tilted up and down. You remain strapped onto this bed as this is done in order to simulate standing under a controlled environment. The angle is slowly increased with your head in the upright position. Making you faint is not the purpose of the test, but it's still a possibility, which is why you have to be secured.
The Importance of Safety
Your body's reactions are monitored throughout every step of the test. We check the beating of your heart, your blood pressure, and oxygen levels to ascertain the effect of varied positions on your body.
After the test, you are typically kept in the lab until any evoked symptoms subside.
HUTT in Tomball, TX
The outcome of the head-up tilt test can assist your doctor in finding the reason for your dizziness, fainting, or other related conditions. This can lead to treatment via medication, or perhaps further testing to narrow down a plan for treatment. If you have been struggling with any of the above symptoms come into the office today, make an appointment with Dr. Muttiana of the Cardiovascular Institute in Tomball, TX, by dialing (281) 357-5700.