Complete Health Care Guide

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With the above is easier to understand the tests to evaluate the heart are very different because they are aimed at assessing different mechanisms, as well, some electrical function check while others serve any structural or circulatory failure in order to create a panorama comprehensive use the cardiologist to make a reliable diagnosis.

Thus, the review by a specialist and his collaborators include, generally:

1. Interview. Through a discussion personal data is collected such as age, sex, lifestyle, diet, exercise and stress management. It is very important to discuss if they have already suffered from circulatory problems or a family history of such problems.

2. Analysis of blood chemistry. It aims to meet those levels of blood components that are linked with heart health, including:

Glucose. Express high levels of sugar disorders such as atherosclerosis (clogging of blood lines) and diabetes (sugar misuse due to lack of the hormone insulin) that are directly related to stroke.

Sodium, potassium, chlorine, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. These are elements that form salts (electrolytes) and play a crucial role in the electrical activity of the heart.

Urea nitrogen, creatinine and uric acid. Are waste products that carries blood to the kidney removed, so that high levels of such substances can be a sign that the movement is not carried out efficiently. Specifically, this occurs when the heart muscle does not beat strength (failure).

Fat. It has been proven through many tests that the increase in cholesterol and triglyceride levels is related to the risk of heart attack or angina.

3. Blood pressure measurement. It is very important to know what the pressure exerted by blood on the walls of the bloodstream, because when it is high (hypertension) increases the possibility of having a heart attack or blockage of the blood stream in both the heart and in the brain.

Blood pressure is directly related to the heartbeat, so to measure use two numbers: one for the moment that blood is pumped (systolic pressure) and another that records the “rest” of the heart (diastolic). It is estimated that the levels for a healthy adult is relaxed not exceed, respectively, the numbers 120/80.

The measurement of these parameters can be done in the doctor’s office using a sphygmomanometer, blood pressure cuff or blood pressure, but it should be noted that the patient may experience great anxiety during the test (stress in white coat) that alters the results. Because of this, the specialist may consider using a new system, the ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

This procedure is very comfortable and reliable, and involves the placement of tiny device (it weighs approximately 450 grams) that takes the pressure records for a period of 24 to 72 hours while the patient performs normal activities.

credit to: María Elena Moura

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