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February is Heart Health Awareness Month

Heart Health Terms and Tests

If you’re experiencing heart problems or are at risk of developing cardiovascular disease, you should understand some key terminology. That makes it easier for you to communicate with your doctor and take the steps you need to become more heart-healthy.

The human heart is nothing like the images you see around Valentine’s Day. This fist-sized organ in the middle of your chest has four separate chambers that pump blood throughout your circulatory system:

When the heart malfunctions, doctors can use a variety of tests to determine what the problem is:

  • Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
  • Holter and event monitors (ambulatory EKG)
  • Echocardiogram
  • Cardiac computerized tomography (cardiac CT)
  • Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cardiac MRI)
  • Cardiac catherisation

Gone are the days of exploratory heart surgery. Today doctors have a wide range of powerful, usually pain-free tools for diagnosing heart problems. Your doctor can tell you which tests might be right for you. 

For information about heart health, visit here.

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Useful links:

  1. Is Your Blood Pressure Being Measured Correctly? - Connect Community - BCBSIL
  2. Heart Healthy Numbers to Know (aetnainternational.com)
  3. Help Your Heart.indd (healthlink.com)
  4. The Connection Between Your Heart and Your Smile | Delta Dental
  5. Heart Health Care and Services | CVS Health
  6. It’s a No-Brainer: A Healthy Heart Affects Your Whole Body - Hally Health
  7. Heart-Disease-and-Oral-Health.pdf (deltadentalil.com)
  8. Eye Site On Wellness_ Regular eye exams can help keep your heart healthy.pdf (illinois.gov)
  9. Prevent-Heart-Disease.pdf - HealthLink
  10. Love Your Heart (illinois.gov)