A lot of people out there go about their lives never truly wondering about their physical health. As long as they feel fine, go to work every day, and do their preferred activities without any issues, they treat their bodies with an ignorance that is akin to burying one’s head in the sand.
That is, until something begins to feel off with their heart. It is well known, after all, that cardiovascular problems tend to develop somewhat stealthily, but once you feel a symptom, a bit of chest pain or shortness of breath, it will be borderline impossible to ignore.
It’s the main reason why doctors want you to get your heart checked regularly. But if you’ve recently begun researching this field, chances are that you’ve already come across a wall of jargon that can become confusing quite fast.
From ECGs, echocardiograms, stress tests, to blood markers you’ve never heard of, it can be quite difficult to understand which of these tests are right for your case. So if you’re in London and looking for an advanced heart test, read on as we break down which tests are necessary and which you should consider when booking your consultation.
What Is an Advanced Heart Screening Test and Who Needs It?
What Happens During a Heart Screening Assessment?
As you may have already guessed, a heart screening of any level is rarely just one single test. In fact, it is a proper process that involves a few more steps than just the tests themselves. It begins with a consultation in which your doctor of choice asks you a few questions about your symptoms, medical history, current medications, family history of heart problems, and lifestyle habits.
They go this deep into your personal life so they can better contextualise any health problems that may pop up during the tests, so be sure to answer any questions they ask as truthfully as you can.
After this, you will likely undergo basic checks, including blood pressure readings, oxygen saturation, cholesterol testing, glucose measurements, and BMI. These tests may also be coupled with an ECG (electrocardiogram), in which doctors monitor your heart’s electrical activity through sensors attached to your skin. This is a super useful test for detecting an irregular heartbeat, signs of a silent heart attack, and strain on the heart muscle.
After this, there are all the advanced tests you’re probably wondering about, starting with the echocardiogram. This is an ultrasound of the heart, which scans the heart’s structure and function in real time, allowing doctors to see how well the heart is pumping blood, whether the valves are functioning properly, and whether any of the chambers are enlarged or weakened.
If your symptoms stem from some physical activity, you may be asked to go through a stress test, during which your heart activity is monitored while walking or running on a treadmill.
Another test that’s been quite talked about lately is the CT coronary calcium scan, which measures the extent of calcium deposits in your coronary arteries. Since this calcified plaque is often linked with a condition known as atherosclerosis, it gives doctors a good idea of how much you’re at risk of a heart attack in the future.
Cardiac MRI is also increasingly popular in cardiology clinics across London, as it can provide clearer images of your heart than a CT scan. It can easily identify inflammation, scarring, and subtle structural problems that other tests may miss.
Blood tests also have a few advanced markers these days that you should know about. High-sensitivity CRP, Lipoprotein (a), apolipoprotein B, and troponin measurements are all excellent at detecting inflammation and cardiovascular risk well before any actual symptoms appear.
If your symptoms only occur in specific situations you may not be aware of, the doctors will also suggest an ambulatory blood pressure monitoring test or a Holter monitor. In these tests, you’ll be strapped with a monitor for 24 hours or more, which will track your symptoms and blood pressure. In both cases, you may also be asked to keep a journal or tracker to describe the situation when your readings showed a spike.
That’s pretty much all of the advanced heart tests that you can expect to go through. Do note that if you’re on the NHS pathway, getting any of these tests will require you to clear all the basic screenings with no clear answer first. If you don’t want to wait for a clean-cut answer, be sure to book a good private heart check near your place instead.
Who Should Consider Advanced Heart Screenings?
A lot of people assume that heart checks become necessary only after a certain age threshold – say, when you’re over 40 or 50 years old. That doesn’t apply to anyone, actually, and some people will absolutely benefit from getting themselves checked sooner rather than later.
Family history is the biggest red flag of the bunch. If a close relative of yours has experienced heart attacks, strokes, or cardiac deaths at a younger age, your risk may be substantially higher, and it will help to keep track of your heart health on a regular basis. People with diabetes should also try to get regular screenings, as high blood sugar tends to damage blood vessels over time and increase the risk of coronary artery disease. The same applies to anyone suffering from longstanding hypertension or elevated cholesterol.
There are also the stressors of modern life that are becoming more common in places like London. Chronic stress, poor sleep, sedentary office jobs, processed diets, and obesity will also add up over time, damaging your heart in the process. The problem is that all these things have become so normalised that people simply don’t care. But try not to follow the herd in this case, and work with a good doctor to keep your heart health under control.
Athletes and fitness folks should also get an advanced screening from time to time, especially if they are already experiencing bouts of dizziness, fainting episodes, palpitations, or unexplained drops in exercise performance. An advanced screening can easily uncover conditions that are holding you back and reveal situations that increase your risk of heart damage.
Finally, some of you simply want to seek more advanced tests as a preventive measure, for reassurance. This is good, as such tests, even if you get them once, can detect many heart problems well before they become a troublesome part of your life, allowing you to make the right call at the right time.
Book a Heart Check-up Right Away
If nothing else, the one thing you’re sure to walk away with after getting these advanced tests is a ton of clarity. No longer will you find yourself in a fog when it comes to your heart health, and if you get these tests early, you will even be able to take preventative measures and stomp the problem before things get any worse.
At the same time, these tests should not be treated as a source of paranoia. You don’t need to obsess over every single risk factor and prevent yourself from living life to the fullest.
Just think of it as a way to understand your body better and a push towards making informed decisions. If you can do that, you’ll already give yourself the best possible chances of protecting your heart long before anything ever happens.
