Routine Heart-Health Checkups

Heart checkups are tests performed to reveal cardiac disease before symptoms begin to manifest. The goal of routine checkups is to detect disease at its earliest and highly treatable stage, prevent heart disease by recognizing and managing the risk factors. Routine heart checkups help the doctor to find out whether a person has a heart problem, is at risk for a heart condition, and what treatment he needs.

There are a number of heart tests, most of which are noninvasive. They may include laboratory tests to check blood and body fluids, genetic tests that look for inherited genetic markers associated with disease, and imaging tests that provide moving or still images of the heart and blood vessels. These tests are available to general population and help doctors to find a disease or what is causing symptoms, such as chest discomfort, irregular heartbeats and shortness of breath. They can also:

• Check the electrical system of the heart;
• Check how well the heart valves are working;
• Find out problems with the heart structures.

Heart tests are appropriate for an otherwise healthy person, especially when medical history or physical exam indicates there is a risk for a heart problem. The necessity of performing a specific test is also based on several factors, such as gender, age and family history.

Most routine heart-health checkups should begin at age 20 and may include:

Blood pressure. It is the most important test since it usually has no symptoms. High blood pressure significantly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Therefore it is recommended to check it at least once every two years beginning at age 20. If it is abnormal, you may need to check it more often.

Fasting lipoprotein profile. A blood test that measures cholesterol and triglycerides must be performed every 4 to 6 years beginning at age 20.

Body weight. Since obesity puts you at risk for heart disease, body max index may be calculated during routine checkups.

Blood glucose. Since high glucose levels puts at risk for developing diabetes which in its turn increases the risk of heart disease, the amount of sugar in blood must be checked every 3 years beginning at age 45. If a person is overweight or has at least one other cardiovascular risk factor, glucose tests can be recommended on a more frequent basis and even when a person is under 45.

Depending on initial routine test results and the presence of coronary artery disease risk factors, additional tests may be recommended, such as:

Electrocardiography. An ECG test measures the electrical activity of the heart and shows heart rate and rhythm. It helps to get information about the function and structure of the heart, and check whether high blood pressure has damaged the heart and blood vessels.

Echocardiography or heart ultrasound creates moving pictures of the heart, providing heart function estimation, and helps detect cardiomyopathies.

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Since its levels rise in response to inflammation, high amount of C-reactive protein in blood may indicate the risk of coronary artery disease.

All the tests are noninvasive, take little time and cause no pain.