Most diseases can be caught early and nipped in the bud before they cause further damage to the body or worse, death. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen often because the average person is a master at ignoring or postponing the need for regular body screening.
Screening tests vary depending on the illness in question. A thorough screening typically consists of imaging tests to check the state of the inside of your body, laboratory tests to have a look at your blood and other bodily fluids and genetic tests to see if you have any link to inherited diseases.
Heart screening tests are done to check one’s risk of developing coronary heart disease (CDA) also known as cardiovascular disease (CVD). The American Heart Association recommends performing heart screening from the age of 20 say for blood glucose screening which should begin at the age of 45. If you have been diagnosed with a specific heart condition or have a link to major risk factors for cardiovascular disease, you should undergo the tests more frequently than the listed recommendations.
Some of the tests done during a heart screen program include the following;
a) Blood pressure:
This is by far the most important test in almost all health checkups. This is because it increases the risk for a stroke and heart disease not to mention the fact that it is hard to detect it without screening. If your blood pressure is below 120/8-mm Hg, you should do the test every two years.
b) Body weight
The health practitioner will either ask you for your BMI or your waist circumference which he will use to calculate the BMI instead. This will prove whether you have a healthy body or not. Obesity and being overweight are risk factors for heart disease, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and other diseases.
c) Cholesterol
This is a blood test done to check whether you have LDL (the bad cholesterol) or HDL (the good cholesterol). You should perform cholesterol screening every 4 to 6 years.
d) Blood glucose
High blood glucose increases your risk of having pre-diabetes, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. These conditions can cause stroke and heart disease. Experts recommend starting the tests at the age of 45 and repeating them every 3 years.
e) Diet, fitness, smoking, alcohol consumption
Your health practitioner will most likely ask you about your diet, fitness, and smoking/alcohol consumption history. Even if he doesn’t ask, be sure to discuss these issues and seek solutions because they add on your risk of developing CAD.
A regular heart screen program is not a reserve for the obese, elderly and individuals with a family history of heart disease. According to Arkansas Heart Hospital, many people don’t ever show any signs with a heart attack being their very first sign. This means that your only sure bet at ensuring that the deadly disease stays away is to be intentional about regular heart screening.