What tests need to be taken to check the heart. My heart hurts, what tests should I take? Indications for a specific blood test - cardiological profile
Diseases of cardio-vascular system today are the most global problem in medicine, because they are the reason why people die every year greatest number of people. Heart attack, heart failure, hypertension and stroke affect people of all ages. Even children nowadays suffer from such ailments from a very early age and learn what shortness of breath or pain in the heart area is. The reasons may be hereditary predisposition, and an incorrect lifestyle, and even a bad environment. The most important point in the treatment, on which the further prognosis of the outcome of the disease and the possibility of recovery depends, is timely tests.
What tests can detect problems with the heart and blood vessels?
It is worth noting that some stages various diseases diseases of the cardiovascular system can be completely asymptomatic. And only preventive visits to the doctor and his appointments for tests can identify the problem in time and take measures to eliminate it. Let's consider what tests need to be done first.
- Lipidogram. This is an examination of blood that is taken from a vein in the morning on an empty stomach for high content cholesterol.
- Coagulogram. Needed to determine blood clotting time and identify problems such as blood clots.
- Aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Such an analysis is required to detect changes in the activity of the AST enzyme involved in amino acid metabolism. An increase in activity several times is a sign of a pre-infarction state.
- Creatine kinase. This is the establishment in the blood of indicators of the intracellular enzyme crest kinase, which acts as an indicator of myocardial damage.
- Lactate dehydrogenase. This is also an enzyme that is present in the muscles of the heart, and enters the blood only when they are destroyed.
Thus, identifying and identifying some catalysts and anomalies in hematopoietic processes is very important and can save a person’s life.
26.01.2017 10:11:01
Diseases of the cardiovascular system in medical practice are the most complex and dangerous, which most often lead to death, regardless of the patient’s age.
Over the past quarter century in Ukraine, mortality as a result of these diseases has doubled, which cannot but cause serious concern.
That is why it is necessary to constantly monitor the condition of your cardiovascular system and undergo preventive examinations from a cardiologist, especially if there are certain prerequisites for the occurrence of pathologies, for example, heredity, overwork, heavy physical activity, etc.
One of the main symptoms of heart disease is the appearance pain in the area of the heart, which can have different strengths and directions depending on the heart disease and its severity.
Second characteristic feature heart disease is shortness of breath, which occurs from circulatory failure.
The third sign of problems with the heart is a rapid heartbeat, as well as interruptions in the functioning of the heart.
All of the above symptoms are signals to contact a cardiologist, who, in order to make an accurate diagnosis, mandatory will send the patient for additional examination, which includes certain tests.
What tests are done for heart disease?
It is also worth considering that many pathological processes in the cardiovascular system are asymptomatic. Therefore, even if you are not bothered by pain in the heart, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat or arrhythmia, periodic visits to a cardiologist should be included in the list of mandatory preventive measures that will help maintain your health for many years.
As with any diseases of various organs and systems, timely diagnosis and well appointed effective treatment heart disease will not only help cure certain diseases, but also prevent serious complications, improve the quality of life, prolong it and even save it.
For diseases of the heart and blood vessels, a comprehensive analysis is prescribed - a cardiac profile.
Cardiological profile: why is it needed?
Cardiological profile is a set of special blood tests that allows you to:
Assess risk factors for the development of heart and vascular diseases;
Identify early and hidden lesions of the cardiovascular system;
Identify the risk of developing atherosclerosis, coronary disease heart and heart failure;
Assess the likelihood of myocardial infarction.
Cardiological profile: indications
Indications for prescribing a set of tests cardiological profile are:
Vascular atherosclerosis;
Cardiac ischemia;
High blood pressure;
Heart rhythm disturbances, including:
Stroke;
Arrhythmia;
Heart attack;
Tachycardia.
What tests are included in the cardiac profile?
- Troponin quantitative;
Potassium (K);
Lipidogram;
Coagulogram;
AST (AST, aspartate aminotransferase);
Creatine kinase (creatine phosphokinase, CK, CPK);
Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH).
What do cardiac profile indicators mean?
- Troponin can diagnose myocardial infarction. Troponin is a special protein found only inside cardiac muscle cells (cardiomyocytes); it is practically undetectable in the blood under normal conditions. However, if cardiomyocytes begin to die and collapse, and most often this happens due to the development of myocardial infarction, then troponin begins to penetrate into the general bloodstream, as a result of which its concentration in the blood increases hundreds and sometimes thousands of times. This feature has become a key factor allowing early or late diagnosis of myocardial infarction.
- NT-proBNP- brain natriuretic hormone is a protein produced in the left ventricle of the heart. Playing important role in the diagnosis of heart failure. Blood analysis to D-dimer indispensable when examining patients for various thrombotic disorders. D-dimer is a small protein fragment that is formed as a result of the breakdown of fibrin (fibrin is a blood plasma protein. Fibrin serves as the structural basis of a blood clot - ed.). Elevated levels of D-dimer in the blood indicate a tendency human body to blood clots or other blood clotting problems.
- Potassium(K) is an important trace element in the human body. It takes part in the act of muscle contraction, normal activity of the heart, conduction of impulses along nerve fibers, metabolism and enzyme activity. Potassium deficiency leads to disruption of the cardiovascular system and can cause muscle weakness. Long-term potassium deficiency can cause cardiac arrest. Large doses potassium cause cardiac paralysis.
- INR- this is an indicator purely for assessing the effectiveness and correctness of treatment with anticoagulants ( medications, reducing the activity of the blood coagulation system and preventing excessive formation of blood clots - ed.). Patients who are forced to constantly take blood thinners are required to monitor their blood clotting abilities. This is necessary not only to assess the effectiveness of treatment, but also allows you to select an adequate dose of funds. In the same way, a person can be protected from an overdose of anticoagulants, preventing the development of corresponding complications against this background. One of modern methods Such control is the INR (international normalized ratio).
- Lipidogram (lipid profile) helps diagnose atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.
- With help coagulograms the level of blood viscosity is determined. An increased blood viscosity level indicates an increased risk of complications. hypertension, coronary heart disease, heart attack or stroke.
- Increase AST values, an intracellular enzyme involved in the metabolism of amino acids in liver tissue, heart muscle and other organs, shows an increased risk of heart attack.
- This is also indicated by the enzyme creatine kinase, which is a catalyst for the rate of ATP conversion. An increase in the activity of CPK-MB, an enzyme found in heart muscle cells, indicates an increased risk of myocardial infarction.
- Most active LDH(lactate dehydrogenase), a zinc-containing enzyme, is observed in the cells of the heart muscle, liver, and kidneys. LDH activity also increases sharply during acute myocardial infarction.
How should you prepare for a cardiac profile?
A cardiac profile is a comprehensive blood test for the content of certain enzymes. Blood for a cardiac profile is taken in the morning, on an empty stomach.
The day before taking blood, it is necessary to avoid alcohol consumption, as well as psycho-emotional and physical stress.
Various heart and vascular diseases are the most common cause of death in all countries of the world, even oncological diseases are not yet ahead of them in this sad ranking.
A lot of time and attention to various sources and professional medicine They focus on cancer prevention; there are even vaccines against certain tumors.
And the main problem modern humanity- diseases of the cardiovascular system do not receive the necessary level of attention, their prevention especially suffers.
In order to start treatment on time, every person should know the signs of diseases of the cardiovascular system and seek treatment on time. medical care when they occur.
Basic examination methods at home and careful attention to your well-being will help you see a doctor in time and begin treatment.
Main symptoms
Delay in seeking medical help when problems with the heart and blood vessels occur is due to the fact that the symptoms for most of these diseases are vague, they are confused with diseases of the stomach, lungs, or are not paid attention to them at all.
Even if a person understands that he has problems with the heart and blood vessels, he turns to a pharmacy for help, where they sell him whatever they want, best case scenario the symptoms go away, but the cause remains and the disease progresses.
Let's list the main warning signs, the appearance of which requires consultation with a cardiologist and additional methods examinations:
Shortness of breath or feeling of lack of oxygen.
The appearance of shortness of breath when running, any other physical activity- this is normal physiological mechanism, which allows you to provide the body with oxygen when there is an increased need for it.
In diseases of the heart and blood vessels, a feeling of lack of air and rapid breathing appears in situations that previously did not require this; in other words, shortness of breath appears with moderate physical activity. In cases of severe heart failure, shortness of breath appears at rest and with little physical activity.
Attacks of shortness of breath at night.
When the body position changes from horizontal to vertical, such attacks decrease or disappear altogether. As a result, a person begins to gradually increase the size and number of pillows, and eventually begins to sleep sitting up.
Few people understand that this problem is associated with heart failure; usually such patients are brought by ambulance with a suspected attack bronchial asthma or with lung diseases. Indeed, these attacks can be called asthma attacks, only cardiac ones. This is how acute left ventricular failure manifests itself.
The appearance of edema.
There are many reasons for their appearance. Edema associated with heart disease first appears on the legs in the evening and gradually rises from bottom to top.
Patients often turn to doctors for help when swelling appears in women on the anterior wall of the abdomen, and in men in the scrotum area. It is clear that the appearance of edema in such volumes is associated with a severe form of heart failure and such patients are treated with great difficulty.
Pain in the area chest.
Real heart pain, described in classical literature as attacks of “angina pectoris”, can be called pain at a stretch; these sensations are more reminiscent of heaviness, squeezing behind the sternum.
They occur only during physical activity, go away after 5 minutes at rest, or disappear immediately after taking nitroglycerin under the tongue. Angina pectoris progresses over time, pain appears with less physical activity, and may eventually appear at rest. The disease appears when the heart vessels fail to cope, and a lack of oxygen occurs in the heart.
Pain in the heart area.
With vegetative-vascular dystonia they can be different. Often bother people very much stabbing pains in the area of the heart, which as a result turn out to be osteochondrosis or other diseases of the spine. you need to pay attention to increased pain in the chest when turning and bending the body. Heart pain is not associated with body movements.
Headaches, nausea, spots flashing before the eyes, tinnitus.
All these complaints are typical for arterial hypertension. Promotion blood pressure very often appears in people after 50 years of age and often goes unnoticed, discovered during the manifestation of complications.
Therefore, all people, especially those with a hereditary predisposition, need to control their blood pressure levels starting at age 40.
Rhythm disturbances.
Feelings of irregular heartbeat are a reason to consult a cardiologist. In accordance with modern recommendations treatment of such conditions, drug therapy used in all patients who experience interruptions in the functioning of the heart.
Important! In addition to irregular heartbeats, you should see a doctor if your resting heart rate is above 90 beats per minute or below 60 beats per minute.
How to check your heart function at home?
All people over 40 years of age, regardless of the presence of the above symptoms, need to monitor blood pressure levels, pulse rate and regularity.
Any affordable device is suitable for measuring blood pressure. Blood pressure must be measured while sitting, at rest, on both arms and only on the shoulder. If you have recorded pressure several times higher or lower than 110/70 – 140/90, you need to contact a cardiologist.
It is not difficult to measure your pulse at home; you must adhere to the following rules: measure at rest for 60 seconds. This will also help to detect irregular heartbeats, if any. In some cases, rhythm disturbances cannot be determined by the pulse. Some blood pressure measuring devices are also equipped with a pulse counting option.
What tests will help detect problems?
If you find the above complaints in yourself, or record changes in blood pressure or pulse, you need to contact a cardiologist to make an accurate diagnosis. The doctor will prescribe additional research which will help make an accurate diagnosis.
A mandatory test that everyone needs is an electrocardiogram. It can be used to determine problems with rhythm, disturbances in the conduction of impulses in the heart and insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle. If there are long-standing problems that have led to changes in the size of the heart muscle, then this can also be detected during the study.
Most informative method is an ultrasound of the heart, during the examination they are also clearly visible large vessels and changes in them. Using this study, you can identify almost all heart diseases: exact dimensions all departments and cavities, blood supply disturbances in certain areas, the condition of the heart valves and large vessels.
If there are blood clots in the heart cavity, this will also be visible during the study.
To clarify a diagnosis such as coronary heart disease and determine the functional class of angina, bicycle ergometry is used. During physical activity on an exercise bike, an electrocardiogram is recorded; if the subject has angina, then changes in the heart will be recorded during pain.
A study such as Holter monitoring is an ECG recording over a 24-hour period.
When decrypting daily ECG changes during physical activity can be determined and compared with the sensations of the subject; all changes in the state of health are recorded in a diary indicating the exact time of occurrence of the sensations.
This study is of particular value for determining rhythm disturbances, especially such as extrasystole or paroxysmal forms of atrial fibrillation.
Certain characteristic changes does not exist in blood tests for diseases of the cardiovascular system. There may be changes in blood tests for cholesterol and in the coagulation system. There are markers that can be used to determine the acute stage of myocardial infarction.
However, the presence of all these changes, both in analyzes and in examination data, does not necessarily mean a disease. All these studies can only be used as additional data and assessed in conjunction with complaints and medical history by a cardiologist.
The table shows some clinics in Moscow and St. Petersburg where you can check the heart and blood vessels, and the price for an electrocardiographic study of the heart is indicated.
| Clinic name | City | Address | Phone in Moscow 8 (499) | Price, rub. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open Clinic | Moscow | st. Partizanskaya house 41 | 969-24-06 | 1200 |
| Asteri-honey | Moscow | Shokalsky passage, house 39, Stolyarny lane, 3/3, st. Velozavodskaya, 13, building 2 | 519-31-50 | 1050 |
| Medicine + | Moscow | Volgogradsky pr, 4A | 519-39-71 | 600 |
| Nouvelle clinic | Moscow | Second Vladimirskaya, house 15, bldg. 4 | 519-39-98 | 1350 |
| Madikan | Moscow | Pskovskaya, building 5, building 1 | 519-39-82 | 1000 |
| ProMedicine | Moscow | Krasnoprudnaya, 13 | 519-39-54 | 1000 |
| American Medical Clinic | Saint Petersburg | Moika embankment, 78 | 740-20-90 | 1100 |
| Madis | Saint Petersburg | Fifth Sovetskaya, 23 | 337-24-82 | 650 |
| Amedaklinic | Saint Petersburg | Kovensky Lane, 5-B | 336-63-75 | 850 |
| Preventive clinic | Saint Petersburg | Engelsa, 50 | 293-22-76 | 800 |
| Guide clinic | Saint Petersburg | Nauki Avenue 17, bldg. 6 | 944-31-49 | 500 |
| UMC | Saint Petersburg | Dibunovskaya, 50 | 640-28-68 | 550 |
Considering all of the above, if you decide to check the heart and blood vessels, determine the presence serious illnesses yourself, then you will be able to discover various symptoms, both directly related to diseases of the cardiovascular system and reminiscent of heart disease. Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis, much less prescribe necessary treatment.
A person's heart is the size of his fist. For some it is more, for others it is less, but despite this, every day any heart passes through hundreds of liters of blood, directing it to all internal organs, to all parts of the body. The work of the heart is directly related to our life, so it is very important to periodically examine it and, if necessary, treat it. Chest pain, burning sensation, tingling, shortness of breath, too rapid heartbeat - all this indicates a malfunction of the heart and is an undeniable reason for examination.
A high-quality, accurate and comprehensive examination of the heart can only be carried out in a medical institution. To conduct such an examination, you need to contact a cardiologist. When you see a doctor, clearly and comprehensively describe to him the sensations that are bothering you - this will help save some time and speed up the determination of the correct diagnosis. The easiest way to determine the presence of heart problems, which a cardiologist can use right in his office, is to measure blood pressure. If the pressure is too high or, on the contrary, too low, this indicates the real presence of abnormalities in the functioning of the heart and serves as a reason for ordering a thorough examination. To ensure that your blood pressure measurement results are accurate, do not smoke or take tonic drinks two hours before the procedure.
It doesn't matter where you were found discomfort in the heart area - at home or at work, immediately stop everything and contact a specialist. A timely heart examination will not only help you avoid illness, but also save your life.
The cardiovascular system, by providing a constant flow of blood, supplies oxygen and nutrients All internal organs human, and therefore its importance is undeniably high. And that is why, when the slightest disturbance occurs in it, cascade reactions of failures are caused in all other systems, and therefore symptoms always appear. But how is the heart and blood vessels examined? There are many methods for this.
Inspection
When a patient first turns to a therapist either for preventive purposes (physical examination) or with specific complaints, the specialist must necessarily examine the heart area and conduct simple studies of this organ and its branches. So, first of all, the doctor conducts general examination patient, paying attention to his skin(with diseases of this system, pallor and even cyanosis, dense cold swelling, minor hemorrhages are possible), the condition of visible mucous membranes (injection of the sclera, white coating at the root of the tongue), development of the musculoskeletal system (hypotonia, weakness, dystrophy or, on the contrary, obesity), the nature of the pulse (its presence and synchronicity in both arms, conduction of the pulse into the neck veins). Next, the doctor must conduct an examination of the heart, such as percussion of its borders, which can reveal hypertrophy of individual chambers. It is imperative to auscultate it, counting the number of heartbeats, detailing its tones, rhythm, and possible pathological noises.
Anamnesis
Finally, blood pressure is measured because it is an important indicator of cardiovascular health. Next, the doctor must detail the complaints, because full examination heart includes a detailed medical history. Thus, diseases of the cardiovascular system are characterized by pain in the chest (often of a pressing, squeezing nature) or, more precisely, behind the sternum, shortness of breath (appears with increased physical activity normally, and in pathology - with a slight load or even at rest), and a feeling of what - “interruptions” in the functioning of the heart, manifestations of high blood pressure (headaches, dizziness, heaviness in the body). Be sure to find out the time of their appearance, the factors that provoke and eliminate them, and their intensity.
Other Important Aspects
The heart examination also includes asking the patient what he associates with the development of his disease, thereby identifying risk factors. So, it may be a strong emotional shock the day before (death loved one, stress at work), lifting heavy objects or performing difficult physical work. Symptoms also appear when weather conditions change. Heredity is also an important criterion, because most diseases (diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension) tend to be transmitted to the next generation. As a rule, a correctly collected anamnesis gives 50% of clinical diagnosis patient. After talking with the patient and examining him, the doctor must send his patient for a heart examination. It would be worth remembering the anatomy and physiology of this organ.
A little about a normal heart
So, it is, roughly speaking, a pump consisting mainly of muscles and a complex system of blood vessels. Inside it there are four chambers that communicate with each other in a strictly defined way and ensure constant movement of blood. And in order for the heart itself to continuously contract and relax, its tissues contain conductive structures through which a nerve impulse passes, thereby causing alternating tension in the muscles of each chamber and the opening and closing of the valves between them. Therefore, all methods of examining the heart can be aimed either at visualizing the anatomy of this organ (ultrasound, Doppler mapping, CT scan, chest radiography, radioisotope methods) and directly arteries and veins (probing great vessels, angiography, coronary angiography), or to study the state of its conduction system (electrocardiography, bicycle ergometry), or to auditory its sounds and noises (phonocardiography).
Echocardiography
As you can see, the examination of the heart must certainly be detailed, detailed, and not lose sight of anything. Because damage to the cardiovascular system can be a manifestation independent disease, and a consequence of the pathology of another system. If we talk about visual ones, the first thing that comes to mind is Echo-CG or, as it is also called. What the device shows during this important study can be guessed logically. By penetrating the ultrasound deep into the tissues and returning them back, an image appears on the screen that allows you to evaluate the structure of the heart, the size of its cavities, the condition of the valves and great vessels. Plus, this method is non-invasive and does not involve radiation, and therefore can be used even by pregnant, lactating and children. Although more effective, it still cannot replace ultrasound as a diagnostic tool.
Benefits of Ultrasound
On different dates During gestation, a woman periodically undergoes an ultrasound of the heart for the fetus, which shows a patent ductus arteriosus, stenosis of the ostia of vessels, prolapses or valve insufficiency, the condition of the interventricular and interatrial septum, and others birth defects development. Another important advantage of this method for the patient himself and medical institution is its relative cheapness, the possibility of it being carried out on an outpatient basis, the short duration of the study, as well as instantaneous acquisition of an image and interpretation of all data. That is why ultrasound of the heart is so popular for diagnostic purposes.
What does vascular examination show?
In obese people and sick people diabetes mellitus the most common lesions of the cardiovascular system are atherosclerotic lesions blood vessels, as well as hyalinosis of their walls. Therefore, it is so necessary to examine the vessels of the heart, because only they nourish this important organ, and its operation requires a colossal amount of energy and nutrient substrates. So, first, a catheter is inserted into the femoral catheter, through which the vessels are filled with a contrast agent, clearly visible on the X-ray screen. The most important method for atherosclerosis and ischemic myocardial disease is a coronary examination of the heart vessels. It reveals their passability, the correctness of their progress. Also, many operations on this important organ are carried out under his supervision.
Results
Thus, there are currently a lot of methods for studying cardiac and vascular pathology, but each of them has strict indications and contraindications, and therefore it is economically unrealistic and diagnostically pointless to carry them out to everyone. Therefore, the key link is a competent doctor who will carefully supervise the patient and prescribe him the necessary treatment or send him to a more competent institution.