These procedures involve the injection of iodinated contrast media to demonstrate diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Diagnostic medical sonographers image the body using sound waves. The sound waves are sent into the body, and the reflected waves are used to provide an image of patient structures for interpretation by a physician. A career in respiratory therapy allows practitioners to care for individuals with cardiorespiratory disorders. The primary focus of a respiratory therapist is to care for patients, from the infant to the elderly, with heart and lung disease.
Respiratory therapists are an integral part of the fast-paced world of medicine.
They utilize life-support equipment to treat disease and aid in assessing and diagnosing cardiopulmonary disorders, often working in settings where respiratory therapists teach patients and their families about various respiratory diseases, smoking cessation techniques, or the equipment and drugs used to treat these problems. The Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy degree provides the graduate a career ladder that includes a broadened clinical emphasis within the cardiorespiratory field as well as leadership training.