8 tests that can tell if you have heart disease

By Shraddha Rupavate | TheHealthSite.com 11 hours ago

Email Share57

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 likeobesity, high BP, diabetes also contributes to raise your chances of suffering from heart problems. Because the symptoms of heart disease are not seen, you should be aware about screening your heart function, especially if you have high cholesterol, triglycerides or high BP. Here are some tests that are regularly used for screening heart diseases.

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 youre 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 patients 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. Hereswhy 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 recentheart attack.

You may also like to read: Natural remedies for heart disease (Gallery) Gallery: Ten tips for a healthier heart 10 things that happen during a heart attack Gallery: Why is hypertension dangerous Try cinnamon to give your heart the natural boost! Stroke causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prevention 10 ways hypertension or High BP affects your body Heart attack and heart blockage are they the same? (Query of the day) Youre likelier to get a heart attack or suffer a stroke in the morning! 6 heart health myths busted! For more articles on heart disease and womens health, visit our heart disease and womens health section, respectively. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our forum.