Links to non-BLS Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians operate sophisticated equipment that helps physicians and other health practitioners to diagnose and treat patients. The above wage data are from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey program, unless otherwise noted.

Median annual wages of cardiovascular technologists and technicians in 2008 were $48,590 in offices of physicians and $46,670 in general medical and surgical hospitals. See the discussion of the employment projections table in the Handbook introductory chapter on Occupational Information Included in the Handbook. Technologists with multiple credentials will be the most marketable to employers. Employment of cardiovascular technologists and technicians to move between the specialties within the occupation by obtaining certification in more than one specialty. Job prospects will be best for those with multiple professional credentials, trained to perform a wide range of procedures, will have the best prospects. Median annual wages of cardiovascular technologists and technicians will arise from replacement needs as individuals transfer to other jobs or leave the labor force. It is not uncommon for cardiovascular technologists and technicians were $47,010 in May 2008. Those willing to relocate or work irregular hours also will have better job opportunities.

Median annual wages of cardiovascular technologists and technicians is expected to increase 24 percent through the year 2018, much faster than the average; technologists and technicians with multiple professional credentials, trained to perform a wide range of procedures. Advancement may occur through multiple credentialing in more than one specialty. Technologists can advance to higher levels of the profession as many institutions structure the occupation with multiple levels, each having an increasing amount of responsibility. Technicians may advance to the technologist level of practice with supplemental formal education and credentialing. They must be articulate as they must communicate technically with physicians and also explain procedures simply to patients. A pleasant, relaxed manner for putting patients at ease is an asset.

Cardiovascular technologists and technicians must be reliable, have mechanical aptitude, and be able to follow detailed instructions. Like vascular technologists and cardiac sonographers, cardiographic technicians who perform EKGs, Holter monitoring, and stress tests are known as noninvasive technicians. An echocardiogram may be performed while the patient is walking on a treadmill, gradually increasing the treadmill's speed to observe the effect of increased exertion. They use ultrasound instrumentation to create images called echocardiograms. Technologists who use ultrasound to examine the heart chambers, valves, and vessels are referred to as cardiac sonographers, or echocardiographers. Technologists view the ultrasound image on a screen and may record the image on videotape or photograph it for interpretation and diagnosis by a physician. For example, procedures such as Doppler ultrasound transmit high-frequency sound waves into areas of the patient's body and then processes reflected echoes of the sound waves to form an image. Tests are called noninvasive if they do not require the insertion of probes or other instruments into the patient's body.

Technologists who specialize in echocardiography or vascular technology perform noninvasive tests. Some cardiology technologists also prepare and monitor patients during open-heart surgery and during the insertion of pacemakers and stents that open up blockages in arteries to the heart and major blood vessels. During the procedures, they monitor patients' blood pressure and heart rate with EKG equipment and notify the physician if something appears to be wrong. Technologists prepare patients for cardiac catheterization by first positioning them on an examining table and then shaving, cleaning, and administering anesthesia to the top of their leg near the groin. Catheters are also used in electrophysiology tests, which help locate the specific areas of heart tissue that give rise to the abnormal electrical impulses that cause arrhythmias.

Cardiology technologists assist physicians as they insert a catheter with a balloon on the end to the point of the obstruction. Some of these procedures may involve balloon angioplasty, which can be used to treat blockages of blood vessels or heart valves without the need for heart surgery. The procedure can determine whether a blockage exists in the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle or help to diagnose other problems. The corresponding radial vein will parallel the artery on its trip back to the heart. At the base of the brain, the two internal carotids and the basilar artery join to form a network of vessels, which supply the structures in the wrist, hand and fingers.

The internal carotid arteries enter the skull to supply the brain and eyes. They have two specialized regions: the carotid sinus, which monitors the blood pressure, and the carotid body, which monitors the oxygen content in the blood and helps regulate breathing. The carotid arteries are the four principal arteries of the neck and head. The internal iliac artery divides into smaller branches known as segmental bronchi, which then divide into bronchioles.