8 tests that can tell if you have heart disease
By Shraddha Rupavate | TheHealthSite.com – 10 hours ago
Heart
disease does not develop overnight. It may begin to develop early in
adolescence and may rapidly advance in adulthood. So if you have
religiously followed a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating
practices while you were young, you have an increased risk of developing
heart disease after you cross your 40s or 50s. Plus, other risk factors
like obesity, high BP, diabetes also contributes to raise your chances of suffering from heart problems.
1. Blood tests: Blood tests are a basic and the most important diagnostic test used for screening heart diseases like and heart failure coronary artery disease. Your blood contains various biomarkers that are useful for identifying factors contributing to heart disease.
- Blood glucose level: Tells you if you’re a diabetic
- Lipids and triglycerides level: Tells you if you have high cholesterol
- Fribinogen level: Tells you if you are at a risk of blood clot
- C-reactive protein: Tells you if you have atherosclerosis
2. X-ray: Chest X-ray
is a simple, useful imaging test for diagnosing a lot of heart
conditions like congestive heart failure, enlargement of the heart and
heart infections.
3. ECG: ECG
or electrocardiogram is a useful test to assess heart rhythm and
related heart conditions. It measures electrical activity of the heart.
In this test, electrodes are attached to the patient’s chest, legs and
arms. These electrodes are connected at the other end to an ECG device.
The signals from these electrodes are received and captured by the
device and an electrocardiograph is generated. Here’s why you need to have an ECG test done.
4. Stress test:
A stress test is a test that helps determine the level of strain that
your heart can handle (and has nothing to to with mental stress). A
simple exercise stress test can identify how well your heart functions
under exertion. The test uses an ECG device to record electrical
activity of the heart while exercising. So the patient is instructed to
perform activities like walking on the treadmill or riding a stationary
bicycle.
5. CT scan: A
CT scan or a computed tomography scan uses the X-ray imaging technology
to generate a three-dimensional image of the heart and the nearby
arteries. A CT scan is usually suggested to detect arteries narrowed as a
result of plaque deposition (in atherosclerosis).
6. Echocardiography: Echocardiography is
basically real-time imaging of the heart (similar to sonography). It
makes use of high-frequency radio waves to determine aspects like the
size and the structure of the heart while it performs the function of
pumping blood. It is especially helpful in diagnosis of valvular heart
disease, which remains silent for several years.
7. MRI: MRI
or Magnetic Resonance Imaging is another imaging test used to obtain
detailed images of the heart structure. It helps to identify
irregularities in the heart muscle and valves. It detects irregular or
disrupted blood flow pattern, typically seen in ischemic heart disease.
Coronary MRI helps to detect congenital abnormalities of coronary
arteries.
8. Holter Monitoring:
A more advanced method of determining and recording heart beats or
electrical activity of the heart is the Holter monitoring test (or
dynamic electrocardiography). It is expensive and requires the patient
to have the electrodes attached to the chest for a period of 24-48
hours. A mini recorder that monitors the heart rhythms can be kept in
the pocket or worn around the neck. The test is usually used to diagnose
brachyardia (slow heart rate), atrial fibrillation, palpitations and arrhythmia. It is also used for patients who have suffered a recent heart attack.
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