The cardiovascular system is one of the most critical organ systems in the body. Responsible for delivering oxygen, blood, and nutrients to every part of your body, the cardiovascular system is critical to our wellbeing. A lot of serious diseases can affect the heart and blood vessels, but many of these conditions are responsive to treatment during early phases. Therefore, cardiac testing is crucial to ensuring any health problems related to the cardiovascular system are diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
Disease Prevention
Many cardiovascular diseases present minimal symptoms at first. You may sense nothing out of the ordinary. However, cardiac diagnostic tests can detect some harmful changes even when you feel okay. Early detection prevents many of the complications of advanced disease progression, which can significantly reduce quality of life and make you vulnerable to future diseases. Detection also allows for appropriate treatment, stopping the disease before it causes more damage.
For example, coronary artery disease, or CAD, usually starts with the accumulation of fatty deposits inside the blood vessels that are critical for blood circulation. When these deposits are small, their impact on blood circulation to the heart may not be significant enough for you to experience symptoms. However, an angiogram, which visualizes blood flow to the heart, can detect these deposits. Doctors can then recommend interventions such as prescription drugs and lifestyle changes to stop these deposits from growing.
Accurate Diagnosis
Cardiac testing can also help in determining the specific type of illness you have. Many diseases can have similar symptoms but be wildly different from each other. In many cases, it is impossible for patients and doctors to determine the exact illness based solely on symptoms.
For example, people usually cannot distinguish between a heart attack and cardiac arrest when the two conditions have different causes. Heart attacks happen when blocked blood vessels starve part of the heart from blood. Cardiac arrest happens when the heart stops pumping.
An electrocardiogram, which measures the electrical rhythm of the heart, is useful in differentiating between the two conditions.
Check Effectiveness of Treatments
Cardiac testing is also done to determine the effectiveness of treatments and to check on progress. Many interventions meant to treat cardiovascular diseases take some time to work. In some cases, initial treatments may be ineffective, and it’s advantageous for doctors to know early on if a particular treatment works. That way, they can quickly switch to alternative treatment methods that may be more effective.
For example, nuclear stress tests are used to assess the performance of the heart when under pressure. The patient is usually instructed to get their heart rate up by exercising on a treadmill or an exercise bike. Sensors connected to the patient’s body show information such as heart rate, blood pressure, and other activities of the heart.
Nuclear stress tests are useful in detecting diseases that might not become apparent when the heart is at rest. However, these cardiac tests can also be used to monitor the improvement of a patient’s condition as treatment progresses. Doctors can monitor their patient’s progress and make modifications when necessary.
Cardiac Testing Options in South Carolina
Cardiac testing procedures are critical to maintaining cardiovascular health. They assist in disease prevention, help doctors make the right diagnoses, and help verify the effectiveness of treatments. For the best results, cardiac diagnostics should be performed by experienced professionals who can give early and accurate interpretations of your cardiovascular health. The experts at SC Internal Medicine Associates and Rehabilitation can do just that.
Our staff offers comprehensive cardiac testing to guide you toward better heart health. To make an appointment, please call (803) 749-1111 or request an appointment online.
