Ads
related to: When should a heart test be used?Get Info on a Treatment Option That Lowers LDL-C & Reduce the Risk of Another MI or Stroke. View Support & Resources for Your ASCVD Patients With High LDL-C.
- Real Patient Stories
Watch Patients Talk About Their
LDL-C & Experience with ASCVD.
- HCP Treatment Information
Learn About a Treatment Option for
Patients with CV Disease.
- Resources for Patients
Get Helpful and Downloadable
Resources to Support Your Practice.
- Review Patient Profiles
Identify Patients Who Are At
Risk of Another CV Event.
- Real Patient Stories
Trusted for 25+ Years | 10 Million Screenings & Counting. | Understand Your Risk Factors. Don't Wait - Get Screened for Stroke & Heart Disease Risk. No Insurance Required
Search results
- The AHA recommends the following schedule for heart health screenings: Weight and BMI: during regular annual checkups Blood pressure tests: at least once every 2 years, starting by age 20 Blood cholesterol tests: at least once every 4 to 6 years, starting by age 20
www.healthline.com/health/heart-health/scheduling-heart-health-checkupHeart Checkup: When to Get One, Test Types, and More - Healthline
Feb 3, 2020 · 1. Echocardiogram: Uses sound waves to produce images of your heart. This common test allows your physician to see how your heart is beating and how blood is moving through your heart. Images from an echocardiogram are used to identify various abnormalities in the heart muscle and valves.
Heart tests help a lot when your doctor is trying to find out what's wrong, which treatment to use, or how well a certain treatment is working. But experts say that sometimes heart tests aren't needed—even for heart patients.
- Overview
- Why might someone need a heart test?
- Blood tests
- Electrocardiogram (EKG)
- Echocardiogram
- Nuclear stress test
- Coronary angiogram
- Chest X-ray
- MRI
- Cardiac event monitor
Doctors use heart tests to diagnose or monitor different heart conditions. They include blood tests, electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, and coronary angiograms.
Doctors use these tests to diagnose and monitor heart diseases. Some tests reveal issues that might lead to heart diseases in the future.
Doctors will help decide which tests are suitable for a person according to their symptoms, risk factors, and medical history.
This article will look at some of the most common types of heart tests. It will explain how they work and what they look for.
Doctors recommend heart tests for different reasons. A person may have symptoms of a heart condition, such as:
•pain or discomfort in the chest, upper back, or neck
•indigestion, nausea, or vomiting
•extreme tiredness
•dizziness
•shortness of breath
There are several blood tests for heart diseases. They include:
•Cardiac troponin test: Doctors use a cardiac troponin test to help diagnose a heart attack. Troponin is a protein in the heart. If damage occurs to the heart, it sends troponin into the bloodstream.
•Lipid profile: Doctors use this test to measure cholesterol levels in the blood. A high amount of low-density lipoproteins, or “bad” cholesterol, can lead to heart diseases.
•Thyroid function tests: Doctors use thyroid function tests to check how the thyroid gland is working. This gland produces a hormone called thyroxine into the blood. If levels of the hormone are too high or too low, it can cause a slow or fast heartbeat and may lead to palpitations.
•Complete blood count: Doctors use this test to look at the concentrations of different types of blood cells someone has in their blood. Low blood counts can cause similar symptoms to a heart condition.
•B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP): This test measures levels of a protein called BNP in the blood. If the heart has to work harder to pump blood, it creates more BNP, so higher levels may indicate heart failure.
Doctors often call an electrocardiogram an ECG or an EKG. The test measures the heart’s electrical activity through pads on the chest. The procedure is painless.
Doctors use an EKG to determine whether a person’s heart is beating at an expected rate and rhythm. This test can provide clues about a person’s heart size and health and helps doctors diagnose:
•arrhythmia, or an irregular heartbeat
•blocked arteries
•heart damage
•heart failure
An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart. Doctors use it to understand the structure of the person’s heart and to see how well it functions.
During an echocardiogram, doctors look at:
•the size and movement of the heart’s walls
•how the heart moves
•how strongly the heart pumps
•the heart valves
Doctors also call a nuclear stress test a myocardial perfusion imaging test. It uses very small amounts of radioactive materials to capture images of the heart. This shows doctors how well blood flows through this organ.
Healthcare professionals will use a nuclear stress test to:
•look for narrowing and blockages in the arteries that may be causing discomfort
•look for signs of damage after a heart attack
•determine whether a person should have a coronary stent or bypass surgery
•see whether stent or bypass surgery is working
Doctors sometimes call a coronary angiogram a cardiac catheterization. The test, a type of X-ray, uses a special dye to show doctors how blood flows in the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that take blood to the heart.
Doctors use the test to look for a narrowing in the arteries and to diagnose CAD.
Doctors will sometimes suggest a chest X-ray to determine if the heart or the lungs are causing symptoms such as shortness of breath.
Sometimes, doctors may also recommend a chest X-ray for people preparing for heart surgery.
Cardiac MRIs use magnetic fields, radio waves, and a computer to take detailed pictures of the heart.
Doctors use these tests to diagnose and monitor heart diseases. They may also recommend this test to look for heart defects.
Cardiac event monitors are devices that record a person’s heartbeat over longer periods or specifically when they are having a symptom or “event.”
Doctors recommend cardiac event monitors to help diagnose heart rhythm problems that only occur infrequently.
- Amanda Barrell
Feb 22, 2024 · Identify arrhythmias that cause your heart to beat too fast, slow, or irregularly. Determine when to proceed with cardiac surgery or valve replacement treatments. A nuclear stress test may be recommended if an exercise stress test doesn't reveal the cause of your symptoms.
Jul 1, 2022 · Exercise stress test: Monitors your blood pressure, your heart rate, and your heart's electrical activity during exercise to check for evidence of decreased blood flow to the heart. Echocardiogram: Uses ultrasound to show how well the heart's muscles and valves are working.
- hhp_info@health.harvard.edu
Aug 13, 2024 · Tests. Many different tests are used to diagnose heart disease. Blood tests. Certain heart proteins slowly leak into the blood after heart damage from a heart attack. Blood tests can be done to check for these proteins. A high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) test checks for a protein linked to inflammation of the arteries.
People also ask
Why do doctors use heart tests?
Do I need a heart test if I have heart problems?
Who gets a heart test?
What does a heart test measure?
What does a heart test show?
tests can provide a closer, detailed look at the concerning issue. On these pages you’ll find an easy-to-understand overview of seven key heart tests that your doctor may recommend. Use this information as a conversation-starter with your doctor, and as a tool in managing your own good heart health. MICHAEL BLAHA, M.D., M.P.H.
Ads
related to: When should a heart test be used?Get Info on a Treatment Option That Lowers LDL-C & Reduce the Risk of Another MI or Stroke. View Support & Resources for Your ASCVD Patients With High LDL-C.
lifelinescreening.com has been visited by 10K+ users in the past month
Trusted for 25+ Years | 10 Million Screenings & Counting. | Understand Your Risk Factors. Don't Wait - Get Screened for Stroke & Heart Disease Risk. No Insurance Required
