Health Screening for Heart Disease

There are tests for just about every kind of cancer and tests for diabetes and other disease so what about a simple test for the heart? What are the best and worst tests for heart disease available in modern medicine today?

There are several blood tests that screen for heart disease, including that for cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and blood sugar. These screen for precursors to heart disease and, along with family history, are the best screening tests for heart problems in the present or the future. Heart disease remains the number one killer of people in almost all developed countries. This is why screening for the potential for the disease is so important so that preventative measures can be taken before active disease occurs.

Some people have regular electrocardiograms or ECGs of the heart. They can test for strain on the heart at rest, for rhythm disturbances and for the possibility of past heart attacks. The scars of a past heart attack can be seen on a resting ECG and may be helpful.

Perhaps more helpful is an exercise ECG. It evaluates the heart while you are exercising. You are placed on a monitor that evaluates all aspects of the heart while exercising. You exercise on a treadmill until you reach your target heart rate, with a continuous or intermittent ECG reading done the whole time. Stress or strain on the heart during exercise is evaluated for by looking at the ECG readings. An ST segment elevation or ST segment depression can mean a problem with the heart that can be followed up on with further screening tests.

After a positive screening test using an exercise ECG, patients undergo angiography to see if the blood vessels of the heart are open or blocked with atherosclerosis. If they show up as blocked, the arteries can be opened with an angioplasty and a stent placement.

You can take a written heart health test that can reveal your risk for heart disease. The questions relate to the combination of risk factors possible for people with heart disease. If you score high on the test, it is time to see the doctor to further evaluate your risk and to begin making lifestyle changes necessary to improve your heart health. Some changes include consuming less sugar, more fiber and less fat in your diet. It includes exercising more and doing exercises that stimulate the heart to beat faster and stronger. You should keep track of your blood pressure so that treatment can be given if it is high.