7 tests to diagnose heart diseases

7 tests to diagnose heart diseases

      With an increase in diseases related to lifestyle, patients are quite often made to undergo tests that are unnecessary. TOI speaks to specialists to list out conditions in which certain tests to diagnose heart risk should be done or avoided. 

 

1.Blood test:- It’s the simplest tool to screen a patient for blood parameters such as lipid level and cholesterol that increase heart risk. Cost Rs. 1,000- Rs. 2,000.

2.Electrocardiogram:-It checks heart’s electrical system and rhythm. Finds out if chest pain is caused by a heart attack or angina. Rs . 300- 500. Patients who are asymptomatic and do not have an emergency condition should be fi rst screened for blood parameters and ECG rather than putting them through costlier tests.

3.Echocardiogram:-Helps check heart’s pumping efficiency and functioning of the valve. It is reasonable for heart risk assessment in asymptomatic adults with hypertension or diabetes. It is not recommended for asymptomatic adults without the conditions Rs. 1,500- Rs. 2,000.

4.Exercise stress test:-It is a screening tool used to test the effect of exercise on the heart. Doctors often combine it with regular ECG monitoring to follow electrical activity of the heart during the test for better results. Cardiologists say this is the most cost-effective test to assess heart risk in patients who come with unexplained chest pain or breathing difficulty. It does not involve exposure to any radiation.

5.Thalium stress test:-It is a nuclear imaging method that shows how well blood flows into the heart muscle, both at rest and during activity. It involves injecting radioactive isotope. Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 15,000.

6.CT Angiogram:-It is a non-invasive technique that uses X-rays to provide detailed pictures of the heart and the blood vessels that go to heart, lung, kidneys and other organs. It can show whether a blood vessel is blocked, where the blockage is, and how big the blockage is Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 15,000 The test is costly and exposes a patient to radiation. Doctors advise it should not be used in cases where initial tests such blood parameters or exercise stress test show heart risk.

7.Coronary Angiography:-It is an invasive technique that uses a special dye (contrast material) and x-rays to see how blood flows through the arteries in your heart. Though costly, angiography is one of the most definite tests to rule out heart disease Rs. 16,000 to Rs. 20,000. It is one the costliest diagnostic tools with radiation exposure. It should be used with caution and never as the primary tool to detect heart risk unless the person has suffered from heart attack or preliminary tests show vulnerability for the same.

Source : The Times of India