Coronary Artery Disease Screening Test

The condition occurs due to accumulation of fatty materials (plaque) on the inner linings of arteries. This plaque causes dilation of the arteries, resulting in blocking or restricting the blood flow to the heart. Complete cessation of the blood flow can cause heart attack.

Screening of this disease can take place in three steps
"By the patient"s complete personal history, noting his medical and family history.
"Exposure to risk factors, such as high lipid diet and sedentary life styles.
"Diagnostic tests.
Presence of coronary heart disorders may cause myocardial infarction (heart attack) that can prove fatal. The following tests are important to determine presence of coronary artery disease and to control it.
1.Cardiac stress test- For this test, the person is made to perform an activity that results in the heart beat increasing and reaching its peak. The most common practice is to make the patient run on a treadmill. When this peak is compared to the heart rate at resting phase, it will reveal signs of abnormalities (if any) of blood flow to the hearts left ventricular muscle tissue.
2.Cardiac catheterization-This procedure is done to diagnose and treat blockages in the heart. This procedure involves entering a long, thin, flexible tube called as catheter into an artery or vein via groin arm or neck and guiding it to the heart. Through this test, doctors introduce a dye into the blood stream. The path followed by the dye helps to study the circulation of blood and detect blockages if any.
3.Cardiac MRI- This is a noninvasive test that uses powerful magnetic field, radio frequency pulses to get detailed pictures of the soft tissues of organs, bone and virtually all internal body structures. Through this procedure, physicians can evaluate the size and thickness of the four chambers of the heart, results of a heart attack; detect the progress of arteriosclerosis and the prognosis of an existing heart disease. It also use to study the progress of the heart post surgery.
4.Coronary angiography- This procedure succeeds cardiac catheterization. It involves taking an X-ray examination of the blood vessels or chambers of the heart. This procedure shows the passage of the dye through the hearts and blockages if any. The dye used is radioactive isotope such as thallium or cardiolyte.
5.Physiological stress test- This procedure is employed in patients who cannot physically exert to increase their heart beat. Such patients include people suffering from arthritis, severe heart diseases, disease of the nervous system or orthopedic conditions. This test involves administering drugs that increase the heart beat and recording the result through echocardiography.
6. Cardiac CT- This is a painless test that involves taking x-ray of the heart. This X-ray reveals clear, detailed pictures of the heart and helps to detect the presence of abnormalities.
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