February 13, 2009
February: A good time to think about heart screenings
Editor’s note: The following article was provided by Trista Neisen in the Marketing and Public Relations Department of St. Mary’s Medical Center, Evansville.
Know Your Numbers
According to the American Heart Association, coronary heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. Stroke is the number three cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of serious disability.
Regular heart and stroke screenings can help you take control of your health and give you the tools you need to get and stay heart healthy. (Related: Comprehensive heart screening)
Some of the most common heart screenings and tests include:
Lipoprotein Profile is a blood test that measures total cholesterol, HDL or “good” cholesterol, LDL or “bad” cholesterol, and triglycerides, another form of fat in the blood. The test is given after a nine- to 12-hour fast. A lipoprotein profile can determine if you have any of the following: high blood cholesterol (high total and LDL cholesterol), low HDL cholesterol or high triglyceride levels. All affect your risk for heart disease.
Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) is a painless, non-invasive test that uses sound waves to determine if there is reduced blood flow to the arteries.
Electrocardiogram(ECG or EKG) makes a graph of the heart’s electrical activity as it beats. This test can show abnormal heartbeats, heart muscle damage, blood flow problems in the coronary arteries and heart enlargement.
Stress test (or treadmill test or exercise ECG) records the heart’s electrical activity during exercise, usually on a treadmill or exercise bike. The test can detect whether the heart is getting enough blood and oxygen. If you are unable to exercise due to arthritis or another health condition, a stress test can be done without exercise. Instead, you will be given a medicine that increases blood flow to the heart muscle and makes the heartbeat faster, mimicking the changes that occur when you exercise. This test is usually followed by a nuclear scan or echocardiography to see whether there are any problems with the blood flow to the heart.
Nuclear scan shows the working of the heart muscle as blood flows through the heart. A small amount of radio active material is injected into a vein, usually in the arm, and a camera records how much is taken up by the heart muscle.
Echocardiography changes sound waves into pictures that show the heart’s size, shape and movement. The sound waves are also used to see how much blood is pumped out by the heart when it contracts.
Cardiac catheterization is a medical procedure used to diagnose and treat certain heart conditions. A long, thin flexible tube called a catheter is put into a blood vessel in the arm or upper thigh (groin) and threaded up into the heart. Through the catheter, the doctor can perform diagnostic tests and treatments on the heart. The diagnostic tests include the following:
Coronary angiography (or angiogram or arteriography) shows an x-ray of blood flow problems and blockages in the coronary arteries. A dye is injected into the catheter, allowing the heart and blood vessels to be filmed as the heart pumps. The picture is called an angiogram orarteriogram.
Ventriculogram is sometimes a part of the x-ray dye test described above. It is used to get a picture of the heart’s main pumping chamber, typically the left ventricle.
Intracoronary ultrasound may be done during a cardiac catheterization to measure blood flow. It gives a picture of the coronary arteries that shows the thickness and other features of the artery wall. This lets the doctor see blood flow and any blockages.
Carotid Ultrasound Imaging is a non-invasive procedure that visualizes the artery with sound waves to measure its blood flow and detect blockages that could lead to a stroke if left untreated.
Abdominal Aorta Ultrasound is an ultrasound of the abdomen and is used to rule out an aneurysm in the abdominal aorta.