Medically reviewed by Neesh Patel, MB DCH
Over the years, our lifestyles have changed, and that has increased our exposure to various health problems like diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure, thyroid, and the worst of them all – heart conditions. But, as they say, prevention is better than cure; and so a regular heart check-up can help prevent major heart diseases or problems.
Why is a Heart Check-up Important?
A heart check-up helps your doctor analyse your heart health by monitoring your blood vessels and arteries. As you age, getting regular check-ups is crucial to keep track of your heart health as well as your overall health. These regular screenings detect any problems at their early stage, giving you a chance to receive proper treatment before it is too late.
Regular check-ups and screenings are for preventive purposes. It helps you stay in the best shape and look out for potential issues before they become more serious. Other benefits of this are:
- Reduce the healthcare costs due to future problems
- Detects a health condition in its early stage
- Creates a graph for your heart health which you can refer to and live accordingly
- Receive the best practices and technologies for your most current medical problems
When and Who Should get Regular Heart Check-ups?
Doctors suggest getting regular preventive screenings and check-ups when an individual reaches the age of 35. The age group of 35 to 65 is the most affected by diseases that are caused due to lifestyle. Since prevention is better than cure, through regular screenings, you can prevent developing certain conditions that can cause further complications for your health. Talk to your doctor about the ideal times you should get your check-up done, as age and lifestyle plays an essential role.
Apart from this, your doctor may recommend that you start getting early screenings for preventive measures if your family runs a history of health problems like diabetes, obesity, cholesterol, heart conditions, and types of cancer like colon, breast, prostate, and more.
Types of Heart Check-ups
After you cross 30 or 35, your doctor will recommend you start getting your heart checked on a regular basis. This makes your treatment more effective if you are detected for any risk.
1. Routine Screening Tests
Your doctor recommends you get routine screenings like:
- Blood glucose tests
- Cholesterol and blood pressure tests
- BMI (body mass index) measurements for people based on their waist circumference and body weight
And if you have an existing heart disease or a family history of having any condition, the medical practitioner will suggest starting these tests at a young age.
2. Other Heart Tests
Your doctor may suggest further heart tests if they think you have a chance of developing a heart condition. These tests may include the following:
- Exercise Cardiac Stress Test: In this test, electrodes are attached from the ECG machine to your chest. You have to run or walk on the treadmill or a stationary bike while the doctor tracks the heart’s response to the stress.
- Nuclear Stress Test: Radioactive dye is injected into your bloodstream in a small amount. It travels to your heart, and the medical professional will take notes of the blood flow in your heart using an imaging machine.
- Electrocardiography: This is the process of producing electrocardiogram, or ECG. Electrodes are stuck on your chest to monitor your heart’s electrical activity and give out data related to heart rhythm and rate.
- Echocardiography: An ultrasound machine is used for creating moving images to check your heart valves and assess the heart’s pumping function. This test is done before and after working out to understand your heart’s response to stress.
- Coronary Catheter Angiography: A catheter, a small tube, is interjected into your arm or the groin area while injecting contrast dye into your heart’s artery. With this test, your doctor is able to take X-ray images of your heart to understand whether there is a blockage or narrowing passage in your coronary artery.
- Cardiac CT Scan for Calcium Scoring: A CT scanner is used to scan your heart’s electrical activity by creating images of the heart. This method is also used for checking plaque build-up in the coronary artery.
- Coronary CT Angiography: Like the above method, the doctor records your heart activities with the help of CT scan images and injects contrast dye to see whether there is any blockage or narrowing of the coronary artery.
Conducting Heart Health Check-up at Home
Your medical practitioner may suggest checking your heart health in between your regular check-ups depending on your current health condition. Here’s what can help:
- A home blood pressure machine for checking your blood pressure
- A fitness tracker, like a smartwatch, for recording your heart rhythm and rate
- A weight scale for measuring your body weight
- A glucose monitor for tracking your blood sugar levels
How to Maintain Your Heart Health
It’s always better to prevent a serious heart condition by getting your regular screening done. But only visiting the doctor to monitor your heart health is not enough. You need to maintain your health to live a happy and healthy life. Here are some tips for a healthy heart:
- Maintain a healthy diet. Eat balanced food that’s rich in nutrients
- Ditch the bad habits like consuming tobacco and smoking
- Avoid or consume alcohol in moderation
- Make it a daily routine to exercise for at least 30 minutes daily
- Maintain your weight
- Follow your doctor’s instructions to control your diabetes, cholesterol, thyroid, blood sugar, and other conditions
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