Your heart pumps blood around your body through blood vessels.
Heart disease often begins when heart vessels become blocked by a build-up of fatty deposits called plaque. This makes it harder for vessels to supply blood to the heart.
Signs and symptoms that you have blocked heart vessels may include:
- Chest pain (angina)
- Shortness of breath
- Heaviness in your chest
- Pain in your jaw or down the arms
- Heartburn
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Heavy sweating
Whenever I suspect that a patient has heart disease and blocked heart vessels, I'll perform a physical examination and a few tests. These tests include:
1. An Electrocardiogram (ECG)
An ECG records your heart’s electrical activity in order to identify an abnormal heartbeat or damage to the heart muscle.
2. Stress test
A stress test evaluates your heart rate and rhythm while you are exercising.
3. Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram measures the chambers and heart function using sound waves. It's also able to check your valves and major blood vessels.
4. Coronary angiogram
A coronary angiogram is a test used to find out where the blocked heart vessels are, and how much narrowing there is.
