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Cardiology | by Dr. Ashok B Malpani | Published on 27/09/2024
It’s rightly said that “prevention is the best cure.” Did you know that around 80% of heart diseases and strokes can be prevented with regular heart health check-ups?
Regular heart health check-ups are crucial as they help prevent or treat problems on time, which may later become serious and, sometimes, life-threatening.
Heart check-ups are a combination of tests done to detect heart problems in their early stage – making it easy for cardiologists to prevent and treat them effectively, ensuring the best outcomes.
A healthy heart is the epicentre of your life – beating with ease and vitality to keep you breathing. However, due to certain issues, the heart fails to perform its duties, leading to serious complications. If you want to keep your heart healthy and its beats happy, read this blog as we discuss the importance of regular heart check-ups.
Regular heart check-ups are an important part of preventive healthcare for adults. If test results show any signs of heart disease, the doctor may advise you additional tests, including:
Also called ECG or EKG, electrocardiography is a short procedure in which small and sticky electrodes are applied to your chest and attached to a special machine, known as an ECG machine. This records your heart's electrical activity and provides information about your heart rate and rhythm.
Popularly known as echo, this ultrasound test is performed to check the structure and function of your heart. A range of conditions can be diagnosed with echo, including cardiomyopathy and valve disease.
It's a painless procedure used to measure the amount of calcium in your arteries. Cardiac CT scan for calcium scoring, also called coronary calcium scan helps determine your risk of heart disease and can help your doctor decide on the treatment options.
Coronary CT Angiography (CTA), also called coronary computed tomography angiography, is an imaging test that helps assess the coronary arteries of your heart. It helps in identifying whether coronary arteries are blocked or narrowed.
Also known as cardiac catheterisation, it’s a procedure done to examine the coronary arteries of your heart. A catheter is used in this test to capture X-ray pictures of the heart, ensuring whether the coronary arteries are normal, narrowed, or blocked.
This test is done to determine how well your heart responds during times when it's working its hardest. During the test, the doctor asks you to walk or run on a treadmill, or pedal on a stationary bike while being hooked to an ECG machine to monitor your heart's activity.
This is also known as cardiac PET study, cardiac SPECT study and myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) study. A nuclear stress test is done to evaluate the blood flow and heart function. You may be advised to undergo this test if you have chest pain or shortness of breath.
If you are diagnosed with heart disease, your doctor may advise you to adopt a combination of lifestyle changes, medications, and other treatment options to manage it.
Regular heart check-ups give you the best chance of diagnosing underlying health conditions early and getting the best possible treatment on time. Below are some of the reasons why regular heart check-ups are so important:
Regular heart check-ups help you improve your overall health. Though these tests may seem like a hassle, they will decrease your chances of heart disease and ensure you take the proper steps to live a healthy life.
You should undergo regular heart check-ups if you:
Additionally, if you are a patient with:
You are at a high risk of developing heart problems. In such a case, consulting a cardiologist and undergoing the tests is the best way forward.
Based on your medical history and health needs, you should also ask your doctor how often you should undergo heart check-ups.
The most important lifestyle changes you can make to keep your heart healthy are to quit smoking and manage high blood pressure & cholesterol.
However, there are other adjustments you can make as well. This includes:
There are various steps you can take to keep your heart healthy and strong. Taking a proper diet, engaging in physical activity, and taking care of your mental health can help you greatly. If you still need help, book an appointment with a cardiologist at BM Birla Heart Research Centre at the earliest.
How often you should get the heart check-ups done, largely depends on your age, risk factors, and family history. If you have breathlessness and constant chest pain or any other symptom of heart disease, consult a cardiologist immediately.
ECG is the most common test done during a heart check-up. If ECG shows the sign of a heart disease or you have serious symptoms the doctor may order a few other tests that include blood tests, echocardiogram, angiography, etc.
Yes, there are several ways to check your heart at home, including measuring heart rate, monitoring blood pressure, taking stair tests, checking symptoms, BMI and oral health.
During the heart check-ups, you can talk about the symptoms you experience and ask the doctor about your risk factors, tests to be done, the cost of medications, activities you should do and avoid, and lifestyle changes to make. Plus, you can also ask what to do if your symptoms get worse or change suddenly. Apart from this, you can talk to your doctor about anything that bothers you about your heart health.
