There are a variety of screening tests that are used by healthcare providers to detect the presence of cardiovascular disease. There are also a variety of cardiovascular diseases that can affect an individual. Medical practitioners use the term to refer to various conditions that interfere with the normal flow of blood in the body. The conditions include heart disease, heart failure, stroke, or peripheral heart disease (Van Brabandt, Desomer, Gerkens, & Neyt, 2016). Heart disease occurs when the circulation of blood into the heart is slowed or stopped. This mainly occurs as a result of a blocked artery. Symptoms of heart failure include angina, heart attack, or sudden death. Heart failure occurs when the heart has lost its ability to pump blood. It occurs as a result of blocked arteries or damage to the heart. A blockage of flow of blood to the brain results in stroke while peripheral arterial diseases are cause by blockages of arteries that may be on the legs. The conditions can be prevented through good and healthy lifestyles combines with periodic screening tests.
Cardiac Screening
Cardiac screening is used to refer to tests that are conduct on an individual to assist in diagnosis of the disease before the symptoms are manifested. Screening is important because it can help in averting the consequences of a disease (Van Brabandt, Desomer, Gerkens, & Neyt, 2016). It helps in finding the disease during its earliest stages. It makes it easy to manage the condition or treat it. Screening tests undergo a variety of standard tests to ensure that they satisfy the criteria recommended by the medical practitioners. For example, the screening test should be able to reduce the number of deaths caused by the disease.
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There are a variety of screening tests for heart diseases and they include genetic tests aimed at identifying genetic markers that are connected to the disease, laboratory tests to examine blood and other body fluids, as well as imaging tests that capture pictures of the inside of the body (Van Brabandt, Desomer, Gerkens, & Neyt, 2016). All these tests are available for the general population. There are instances when individual needs may determine the screening test that is used, and they include age, family history, or gender. The National Institute of Health recommends screening for heart diseases because they are the leading cause of death in the world. They are also a major cause of disability. The most common occurring heart disease is the coronary artery disease, and it is the major cause of myocardial infarction. Screening is thus important to help in identification of the conditions when they are still at a treatable stage.
Screening through Imaging Tests
In this case, the focus is on cardiovascular screening through the use of imaging tests. There are three common imaging tests that are used and they include cardiac catheterization and cardiac computerized tomography (CT) scan. These screening tests help in examination through capturing images of the inside of the heart.
Cardiac catheterization is a procedure that is used for diagnosing and treating certain conditions that affect the circulation of blood. It involves an insertion of a short tube on an individual’s groin, or neck (Mayo Clinic, 2019). A hollow longer tube, referred to as guide catheter, is then inserted into the short tube. The catheter is then threaded into the blood vessel up to the heart. The doctor is guided by X-ray images, which he views on a monitor. It aid him/her to successfully guide the catheter to the heart. It allows for the pressures in the heart chamber to be measured. The medical professional can also inject dye, which can easily be seen through X-ray (Mayo Clinic, 2019). The doctor is thus able to observe the blood flow in the heart and examine the valves for any abnormalities. The procedure also allows the doctor to check the blood vessels. The procedure is conducted when a client is awake. They are given medications that help them in relaxing. After the procedure, the recovery occurs within a short duration and the client can continue with his/her normal life. There are fewer chances of complications with the procedure.
Cardiac computerized tomography scan (CT scan) is a non-invasive test that utilizes the X-ray technology (Budoff & Shinbane, 2016). It helps in making pictures of one’s heart. When modern CT scanners are used, the procedure is very fast and detailed. During the scan, one lies on a table inside a machine that is shaped like a doughnut. An X-ray tube in the machine then rotates while collecting images of the heart and the chest area. The images can help in indicating blockages and calcium that are located in the arteries (Budoff & Shinbane, 2016). It creates picture of the healthy and diseased parts. The doctor can thus easily tell the part of the heart that is affected. Notably, it is mainly used when other screenings do not provide enough information about the heart. It uses low dose x-ray that are completely safe.
Conclusion
Notably, it is advisable for individuals to attend periodic screening of the heart as it can help in identification of a cardiovascular condition before it reaches an advanced stage. The modern methods of screening require little time to complete. Cardiac catheterization and cardiac computerized tomography scan are examples of imaging tests that can be used to examine the inside of the heart. They produce a lot of details that helps the doctors to ascertain the conditions of one’s heart.
References
Budoff, M. J., & Shinbane, J. S. (Eds.). (2016). Cardiac CT imaging: diagnosis of cardiovascular disease . Springer.
Mayo Clinic (2019, June 04). Cardiac Catheterization. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cardiac-catheterization/about/pac-20384695
Van Brabandt, H., Desomer, A., Gerkens, S., & Neyt, M. (2016). Harms and benefits of screening young people to prevent sudden cardiac death. Bmj , 353 , i1156.
