Apollo Heart Check - Advance in Palavakkam, Chennai

Heart-related complications, or cardiovascular diseases, contribute to 17.9 million deaths annually, as confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO). These problems impact people of all ages, warranting an early heart function test.

Cardiovascular diseases present themselves in the form of problems like:

• Coronary artery disease
• Irregular heartbeats
• Heart valve disease
• Aortic disease
• Stroke
• Pericardial disease

Out of these, coronary artery disease is the most common, causing a plaque build-up in the patient's arteries. As a result, blood flow to the heart is interrupted, causing heart attacks and other problems like angina and heart failure.

The severity of coronary artery disease warrants a cardiac function test. Apollo 24/7 offers cardiac checkup packages that assess the overall health of a patient's cardiac system to detect and diagnose heart ailments early. It consists of 72 tests to check for all possible reasons that could contribute to cardiac issues.

Some of the diagnostic evaluations included in a heart function test are as follows:

• Glucose Fasting Test: High blood pressure is synonymous with artery damage, which might affect blood flow to the heart. The glucose fasting test checks for the patient's blood pressure to make an early diagnosis.
• High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein (HSCRP) Test:  The human body produces the C-reactive protein in response to inflammation. It can be detected using an HSCRP test to understand the risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Lipoprotein A (LP-A) Test: Lipoproteins are responsible for carrying cholesterol through the bloodstream to your cells. A high level of lipoprotein means an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Complete Blood Count (CBC): The standard CBC test measures blood components like haemoglobin, platelets and red blood cells to detect conditions like anaemia and assess cardiac health risks.
• Lipid Profile Test: This test checks the level of triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, VLDL cholesterol and total cholesterol in blood. High levels of LDL and triglycerides can cause heart problems.
• Renal Function Test: It is a group test that checks levels of creatinine, uric acid, blood urea, chloride, potassium and sodium to assess if the kidneys are functioning properly. Kidney problems can increase the risk of heart disease.
• Liver Function Test:  It is a group test that checks levels of bilirubin, ALT/SGPT, AST/SGOT, alkaline phosphatase and albumin to assess if the liver is functioning properly. Liver problems also increase the risk of heart disease.

Based on the cardiac function test results, doctors can devise an early treatment plan to better combat and manage relevant issues.