Various examination methods to check the heart

You may think that a heart check is only necessary for people who have heart disease. In fact, it is important to do heart examinations for people who have risk factors for heart disease. The goal is to ensure the health of the heart organ and find out if there are symptoms of heart problems that you may not be aware of. Check out the various heart examination test options that you can undergo below.

Who needs a heart check?

Maybe not everyone should have a heart check, but if you have certain health conditions that increase your risk of experiencing heart health problems, it's better to do this check. Do a heart check if:

You are over 65 years of age.
Have parents or siblings who have or are experiencing heart disease.
Have a smoking habit.
Have high cholesterol levels in the blood.
Have high blood pressure.
Experiencing obesity or excess body weight.
Have diabetes.

If you feel lazy and rarely exercise, consume alcohol frequently, and have an unhealthy diet, your risk of having a heart attack, heart failure, and various other heart diseases increases.

At that time, you may need to do a heart examination to ensure the health of the heart organ.

Various test options to check heart health

There are many test options that you can take if you want to check your heart health. Usually, doctors and the medical team will also help recommend which type of heart screening test is most suitable for your health condition.

1. Blood test

Blood tests are usually performed on patients who have had a heart attack or who have a high risk of developing the disease. The reason is, when having a heart attack, the heart muscle may be damaged, so that the body releases substances into the blood.

Blood tests can measure the damage done to the heart muscle through substances that have mixed with the blood in the patient's body. However, the function of one of these tests for heart checks doesn't stop there.

Blood tests for the heart can also help measure the levels of various other substances in the blood, including fatty substances in the blood such as cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as vitamins and minerals.

2. Angiography

This one heart check is usually done by inserting a small tube (catheter) into an artery and directed at the coronary artery located near your heart. Then, a special dye will be inserted through the catheter into the bloodstream.

This special dye will make it easier for X-rays to take pictures of the heart and coronary arteries. The goal is to see any blockages in the coronary arteries and determine whether the heart can pump blood properly.

3.Electrocardiogram (EKG)

A heart check using an EKG is done to read the heart's electrical impulses, so that the doctor can find out the patient's heart rate.

The cable that is attached with a small round white sensor device will be affixed to several parts of the patient's chest. These cables connect the sensor to the EKG machine which records the heart's electrical impulses and prints them on paper.

Usually, a heart check with this tool is done by doctors to diagnose heart attacks or arrhythmias, which are when the heart's rhythm is abnormal.

4. Echocardiogram

An echocardiogram is a tool that is used to check the heart quite often. This tool can show pictures of the heart using ultrasound . This device uses a scanner that the doctor will move around the chest or under the esophagus or throat.

By performing an examination using this tool, the doctor can find out if there are problems with the valves or chambers of the heart, as well as check the strength of the heart in pumping blood.

5. Tilt test

This test is usually done by doctors to check if there are certain body positions that will trigger an arrhythmia. By performing a heart check using this method, your doctor can determine if you are likely to experience a drastic drop in blood pressure while standing.

In addition, the doctor will also determine whether your heart rate weakens if you change positions. Usually, this test is effective in checking the health condition of the heart in patients who have fainted for no apparent reason.

6. MRI

According to the Heart Foundation, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can also be done to check the condition of the heart. This device uses magnetic waves and radio waves to produce clear, detailed images of your heart. In fact, this tool can produce still or moving images.

Even so, this tool does not involve radiation in the process. However, while undergoing this examination, you will hear a variety of sounds that are quite noisy and annoying. Usually, a special dye will also be used to make a clearer picture of the heart and arteries.

7. CT scan

This procedure also uses an X-ray machine and a computer to produce three-dimensional images of the patient's heart. As with MRI, a CT scan usually uses a special dye that is inserted into the body through a vein, so that the heart arteries can be seen more clearly.

This heart check method can also be done to determine the amount of calcium present in the heart arteries. The presence of calcium in the heart arteries indicates coronary heart disease.

8. Stress test

This type of test for a heart check is done to monitor the patient's heart while walking above treadmill or pedaling on a stationary bike. While performing either of the two activities, the doctor will look at the patient's breathing and blood pressure.

This test is done to detect the presence of coronary heart disease or to determine the level of safety of the choice of exercise the patient will want to do after a heart attack or heart surgery.