Cardiac screening is a check-up that assesses the health of your heart. By testing for a range of medical conditions that could impact your heart’s health, screening gives doctors a good idea of how at-risk you are for heart disease (also known as cardiovascular disease), and what you can do to improve your overall health.
A growing concern
The number of people living with heart disease is on the rise, and it now affects more young people than ever before. In fact, many of us are living with at least one risk factor for heart disease. But as most people have no idea what these risk factors are, and with many having no symptoms, we run the risk of leaving it too late.
But the good news is that heart disease is largely preventable. By being aware of your risk factors and knowing how to manage them, you can reduce your risk.
Do I need to attend cardiac screening?
With so many people in the UAE living with at least one risk factor for heart disease, the team at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Heart & Vascular Institute recommend adults should undergo comprehensive cardiac screening to better understand and identify potential risk factors.
A simple check-up
Heart screening is one of the best ways to protect yourself. By understanding things like your cholesterol level, blood pressure and body mass index, doctors can advise you on lifestyle changes that can reduce your risk or advise medical treatment if necessary. Screening can also detect abnormalities early, meaning they can be treated sooner.
What happens during cardiac screening?
Ahead of your screening appointment, your doctor will let you know if there are special instructions you need to follow, such as fasting before your appointment. If you are feeling anxious, ask if you can bring someone with you and remember to make a note of any questions that you have so your doctor can address them and help put you at ease.
The most commonly performed cardiac tests include:
- Blood pressure: One of the most important things that your doctor will check, a high blood pressure reading could indicate problems with your arteries that might eventually lead to a heart attack or stroke.
- Heart rate: Another very important number to check, your heart rate can alert doctors to signs of stress, damage to heart tissue, or other abnormalities.
- Body weight: Being overweight or obese puts you at a higher risk for heart disease, heart failure, and stroke.
- Cholesterol Panel: Understanding the level of cholesterol in your blood is important as it is linked to heart and blood vessel disease. Doctors will test for levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL), or ‘good’ cholesterol which can absorb cholesterol and carry it back to the liver, and low-density lipoproteins (LDL) or ‘bad’ cholesterol, which can build-up in the arteries.
- Family History: Understanding your family history is important, as having fist-degree relatives (parents, siblings) who have heart disease puts you at an increased risk.
- Blood glucose: High blood glucose levels can give a very good indication of diabetes.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG): Looking at your heart rate and how much electrical activity is passing through the muscles of your heart, allows doctors to detect abnormalities in your heart’s structure and its rhythm.
- Echocardiogram: An ultrasound is used to look at the heart’s function, structure, and shape, to help detect heart disease at the earliest possible stage.
Remember, heart disease is largely preventable. Cardiac screening can identify risk factors, and help us understand how to manage them, to improve the health of our heart.