Importance of Regular Heart Checkup

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the world. With global statistics pointing out the serious impact of various heart conditions, it has become highly important for each one of us to be conscious of our heart health. Considering these statements, undergoing regular heart checkups is crucial to detect early signs of heart disease.

AZA Diagnostic Centre is a well-known diagnostic facility in North Kerala, with its main branch headquartered in Calicut. With one of its labs functioning in Kannur, AZA Diagnostic Centre is reputed for offering accurate lab tests and diagnostic services to people. We cover a range of blood workups, including imaging and allergic tests, which are accompanied by a comprehensive list of health checkups and screening exams applicable for all ages.

Since blood test results are a sure-shot indication of underlying health problems, including cardiovascular issues, our team of talented, experienced, and qualified lab technicians, healthcare providers, and clinicians is adept at providing quality and accurate diagnostic services for all your symptoms and ailments.

 

Heart Health – Understanding What Defines a Healthy Heart?

For your knowledge, a healthy heart comprises the three most vital aspects of a routine health checkup, namely blood pressure, cholesterol, and ECG. If all three of these elements show normal levels, you are pretty sure to have a healthy heart. On the other hand, if one or all of these happen to show deviations from the normal or reference range, say too-high cholesterol levels, a rise in blood pressure, or variations in ECG, then it sure signals risk factors for cardiac disease.

While an abnormal ECG or electrocardiogram does not necessarily signify underlying heart issues, instead a slight or normal variation from regular heart rhythm, a blood workup is highly decisive to suggest one. Blood results as opined by various health experts are strong indicators of an impending heart attack as they figure out if you are hypertensive, have hypercholesterolemia, or hyperglycemia. If you do not seek prompt medical advice, you are bound to develop hypertensive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and heart attack.

• Hypertensive Heart Disease

If you have high blood pressure issues and are finding it hard to manage it effectively at home, you should promptly seek medical care. If left untreated or unattended, high blood pressure can potentially lead to heart failure in the long run. High blood pressure causes heart muscle to thicken, making it difficult for your heart to get enough oxygen. Symptoms include chest pain or angina.

• Coronary artery disease

Increased cholesterol levels in the blood, i.e., LDL cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease. As a result, your chance of developing coronary artery disease or CAD is high. Besides hypercholesterolemia, hereditary causes, smoking, excessive stress, chronic kidney disease, and obesity can also contribute to CAD. Symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue during exercise, and chest pain.

• Heart Attack

Myocardial infarction, as it is medically termed as heart attack, is brought on by blood clots that occur due to ruptured plaques. Blood clots block blood flow to the heart, causing tissue to die. Symptoms are more pronounced in heart attack and include chest pain and tightness, as well as neck, back, and arm pain. These are also followed by feelings of anxiety, lightheadedness, fatigue, and abnormal heartbeat.

While these issues can be reversed by timely medical assistance, failure to do so will lead to complications, including death.

 

Benefits of Undergoing Regular Health Checkups

Regular checkups open the doors to an improved lifestyle and state of well-being. Below are three other benefits that one can obtain when going for periodic health checks.

• Early Detection: Going for regular checkups helps in detecting heart issues as early as possible, such as arrhythmias, high blood pressure, or coronary artery disease.
• Prevention: Physicians monitoring your heart health will advise you to make lifestyle changes to prevent issues and complications in the future.
• Management of Existing Heart Conditions: If you have pre-existing heart conditions, regular checkups can effectively help manage those problems. These efforts account for preventive strategies to avoid heart failures and attacks.

 

Heart Checkup – What to Expect?

Heart checkups carried out regularly can proactively serve to maintain your heart health in the long run. However, you need to expect certain things when going for regular heart checkups. They include:

• Assessments and Procedures: Your doctor may assign specific tests to assess your heart health. These include blood tests, ECGs, Stress Tests, Chest X-rays, Echocardiograms, etc.
• Discussions and Followup: Upon completion of your tests, your doctor will review the results and discuss findings with you. He may, if required, recommend followup, further treatment, or lifestyle changes based on the nature of the results.

 

Tips to Maintain Heart Health

If you are serious about not wanting to risk your heart to any major diseases and fatalities, you should take some necessary steps for the sake of maintaining a healthy heart in the long run. The following tips that you wish to consider will help you in these endeavors:

• Stay Active: Engage in walking and aerobic activity every day. 
• Choose a Heart-Healthy Diet: Include more fruits and vegetables, opt for brown rice and whole-wheat products over refined grains, and include lean proteins, such as fish, chicken, legumes, and peanuts.
• Avoid alcohol and smoking: Quit smoking and limit alcohol intake if you cannot avoid it at once.
• Manage Stress: Practice meditation, yoga, mindfulness, or deep-breathing exercises.
• Maintain a Healthy Weight: Monitor weight; target to achieve a healthy weight as directed by your physician.
• Go for Regular Checkups: Go for regular checkups and blood tests to ensure normal cholesterol, blood pressure, and glycemic levels.

 

Conclusion

In essence, undergoing regular checkups can mean a lot, especially when these are meant to keep your heart healthy and stay clear of abnormalities and impending complications.

AZA Diagnostic Centre in Calicut is your able assistant in providing the needed facilities, which include blood tests to monitor your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. It also offers imaging and scanning to rule out any serious illnesses. Having attained the reputation of providing state-of-the-art screening and testing services, particularly during the pandemic, the AZA Diagnostic Centre has become the best diagnostic facility in Calicut, and also one of the most recognized scanning centres in Kannur. Even if you cannot make it up to visit the centre in person, you can book lab test at home in Calicut and the AZA Diagnostic Centre personnel will be at your service at just a click away.