Having a healthy mind and heart is vital for human well-being. We all know that the heart is the most important organ that pumps blood to all other parts of our body. Therefore adopting good and healthy habits from your younger days helps you in having a healthy heart in your old age.
Sometimes, you might be someone who is very keen on eating good foods and doing regular exercise. But due to practical problems like tension at the workplace and family stress, your heart can be affected and this can pave the way for various heart diseases. Therefore it’s advisable to take some tests when you feel difficulty in breathing or continuous pain in your left chest area. This blog will educate you on all you need to know about cardiac tests.
Types of Cardiac Tests
1. Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
An electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) is a short test that measures the electrical activity of the heart using stickers on the chest, arms, and legs. This test is helpful for identifying irregular cardiac rhythms and heart chamber enlargement. By recording the electrical activity of your heart, an electrocardiogram (ECG) shows any issues such as abnormal rhythms, known as arrhythmias, or can even detect damage to your heart muscle.
2. Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram is an ultrasound recording of the heart’s inside, similar to those taken through pregnancy. An ultrasound device is applied to the chest, belly, and neck to provide images that show the heart from all dimensions. Most of the heart abnormalities or issues with the function of the heart muscle may be found using echocardiograms.
3. Angiogram (X-ray of blood vessels)
Sometimes, doctors need to identify narrowing or blockages in the coronary arteries or evaluate pressures inside the heart. At this stage, an Angiogram X-ray is made compulsory to get this diagnosed. This X-ray technique is used to look at the coronary arteries that carry blood to the patient’s heart.
A catheter is fed up to the heart and coronary arteries through a blood artery in the patient’s arm or groin. After injecting a special dye through the catheter, pictures are then taken.
4. Trans-thoracic echocardiogram (TTE) Screening
Transthoracic refers to the area of the chest wall. The doctors utilize sound waves to create digital images of your heart and connected blood arteries during a transthoracic echo. This can help to examine the chambers, valves, and blood vessels in your heart to look for any abnormalities and to see if there is any extra fluid accumulating around the organ.
5. Cardiac Calcium Scoring Test
A CT scan called a “calcium score test” measures the amount of calcium in your coronary arteries. If you have a buildup of a waxy, fatty substance (plaque) that can narrow or obstruct your heart’s arteries, calcium in those arteries can tell you. This suggests that you may have coronary artery disease, or atherosclerosis, which can cause a heart attack.
What are the general ways to prepare for cardiac tests?
- Don’t eat or drink anything except water for 4 hours before the test.
- Don’t drink or eat anything with caffeine for 12 hours before the test.
- If you use an inhaler for your breathing, bring it to the test.
- Avoid any lotions or moisturizers on your chest or back.
Who should take cardiac tests?
- A person with a family history of heart conditions
- Old people
- A person with a family history of diabetes
- Obese people
- People who follow an unhealthy lifestyle like smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and stress.
What are the other cardiac procedures available at Durdans?
- CABG
- PCI
- Box change
- PPM
- Echo
- ECG
- Holter monitor
- BP monitor
- TAVI
- stress Echo
- TMT
- Angioplasty
- EP ablation
- Rota ablation
- cardioversion
- ASD
Conclusion
You can stay updated about heart disease prevention by paying regular visits to your cardiologist. Whether or not you have symptoms of cardiovascular disease, you should maintain regular check-ups. This will provide peace of mind or assist in the early detection of any dangerous cardiac symptoms before it leads to any critical stages.
At Durdans, one of the leading private hospitals in Sri Lanka, we do all types of cardiac tests and screening that help our patients in diagnosing early heart complications. Moreover, we also have a panel of well-experienced cardiologists who have hands-on experience in diagnosing heart patients in the past years. You can get your screening and doctor’s consultation all under one roof.
If you wish to seek medical attention for your heart health check or schedule a consultation with a cardiologist, we’ve got you covered! You can call us at +94 70 678 8455 to book an appointment and discuss your concerns. If calling isn’t convenient for you, don’t worry! You can book an appointment through our chatbot; text ‘Hi’ to https://wa.me/94112140000?text=Hi.
