William Penn Life, 2012 (47. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2012-09-01 / 9. szám
Testing the heart Part Two of our look at heart disease Last month, we left the emergency room with orders to follow up with our primary care provider. We feel better and the pain is gone, so why should we bother going to our family doctor? Because early detection of cardiac problems can greatly increase not only the length of our lives but also, and more importantly, the quality of our lives So, we go see our family doctor. He may order some t< himself or refer us to a cardiologist to order the tests. Here are the most frequently ordered tests for heart disease. EKG - Usually the first test to be ordered is an Electrocardiogram, or EKG. An EKG is a painless test that uses electrodes placed on the skin to record the heart's electrical activity. The test provides information about your heart rhythm and any damage to the heart muscle. An EKG (or ECG) can help your doctor diagnose a heart attack and evaluate abnormalities, such as an enlarged heart. The results can be compared to future EKG's to track changes in the condition of your heart. Holter Monitor - If your doctor wants to look further into possible rhythm problems he may order a Hotter Monitor. A Holter Monitor is a portable heart rhythm recorder. If your doctor suspects a heart rhythm problem, he may ask you to wear one for a couple of days. An EKG in the office is just a snapshot in time; this monitor will record your heart's electrical activity day and night. The doctor will probably also ask you to keep a log of your activities and note any symptoms, like lightheadedness, shortness of breath or pain and when they occur. Echocardiogram - Another test often ordered is an echocardiogram, or "Echo" for short. An Echo uses sound waves, ultrasound, to generate moving images of the heart. The test can assess the chambers and valves of your heart and how well your heart muscle and heart valves are working. This can be useful in diagnosing and evaluating several types of heart disease. An Echo can also be useful in evaluating the effectiveness of treatments for certain types of heart disease. Stress Test - By far, the most often ordered test for "new onset" chest pain is a stress test. A stress test measures how your heart responds to exertion and whether or not there is an adequate supply of blood to the heart muscle. The stress is induced either through exercise or by the use of chemicals. If you have an exercise stress test, you will either walk on a treadmill or ride a stationary bike. As the difficulty increases, an EKG is taken, and your blood pressure and heart rate are monitored as your heart works harder and faster. In a nuclear stress test, dyes and X-rays are used to capture images of blood flow in the heart and help doctors pinpoint areas where blood flow is reduced. Cardiac CT - Cardiac Computerized Tomography takes detailed images of the heart and its blood vessels. A computer stacks the images to create a 3-D picture of your heart. A Cardiac CT can be used to look for plaque or buildup in the coronary arteries, heart valve problems and other types of heart disease. Cardiac Catheterization - If the results of these tests do not give your doctor a clear idea of what is going on, she may order a Cardiac Catheterization, or "Heart Cath." Cardiac caths are used not only to help diagnose heart conditions but also to treat some of them. In this test, the cardiologist guides a narrow tube, called a catheter, through a large blood vessel in your arm or leg until it reaches the arteries of your heart. Dye is then injected into the catheter. This dye is easily seen on an X-ray. This can reveal the presence, extent and severity of any blockages in those heart arteries. Treatments such as balloon angioplasty or stenting can be done during this procedure. Most forms of heart disease are chronic. In the beginning, symptoms may be too mild to affect every day life. In most cases, with early diagnosis and lifestyle changes, most symptoms can be kept under control. But, if the heart begins to "fail," one may develop shortness of breath, fatigue or swelling in the ankles, feet, legs or abdomen. These are all signs of Heart Failure. Heart failure can be managed with medication, surgery and in certain cases, a heart transplant. Next month, we'll continue our discussion with a look at treatments for heart disease. fee Healthy! fee Happy! stay Fit! üebbíe William Penn Life 0 September 2012 0 13 T
