Screening of the heart and vessels: what’s the difference?

From diet to exercise, there are many ways to support our heart.

However, when it comes to early detection of problems, there is no better tool than heart and vascular screening.

difference, explanation

You may be asking yourself, “Aren’t heart and vascular screening the same thing?”

“While they are similar, they are also very different,” says Alexa Reynolds, lead physiologist at Sanford Health at the Screening Center in Fargo, North Dakota.

Reynolds says heart screening evaluates the risk of coronary heart disease.

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“We will look at their blood pressure. We do a cholesterol check, check their height and weight, and do an ECG (electrocardiogram) of their heart to look at the rate and rhythm,” she said.

“Then we use a tool called the Framingham score to estimate their 10-year risk of developing heart disease. If it turns out that our patients are at high risk, that is, 6% or higher over the next 10 years, then the patient is given a CT scan that checks for calcium accumulation.”

Vascular screening, Reynolds explains, is essentially an ultrasound of the patient’s arteries in the neck, abdominal aorta, and legs.

“We have vascular specialists looking for any risk of stroke, abdominal aortic aneurysm, and varicose veins and reflux,” she said.

Why are they important

Reynolds says they are different shows, but equally important.

As part of a heart screening, the assessment of cardiac calcium is determined using a fast, painless and non-invasive CT scan. You can get a calcium reading alone or as part of a heart screening. It can determine the presence, location and size of calcified plaques in the coronary arteries and therefore estimate the risk of a heart attack over the next two to five years.

“Your risk of heart attack and stroke sort of go hand in hand. In some cases, if you have calcium buildup in your heart, you are more likely to have plaque in other parts of your body as well,” Reynolds said.

She says that as we get older, calcium naturally builds up in our arteries. This makes annual reviews even more important.

And despite the pandemic, Reynolds emphasizes that it is safe to seek medical care at Sanford Health.

“We really encourage all patients to continue with their annual medical checkups, visits and maintenance. Screenings are included in this. We do our best to keep our patients safe. We want patients to know they are safe when they come to our clinic and they will be safe in their appointments.”

Prevent problems in the first place

Reynolds says annual checkups are the best way to catch problems early. She adds that prevention is the best medicine.

“Exercise is like your magic pill. This will help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels,” she said.

Along with exercise, Reynolds says, the sooner you start a heart-healthy diet, the better.

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