What questions do you ask a cardiologist on heart related problems?
Ten questions to ask your cardiologist
- How does my family history affect my heart health.
- Is my blood pressure reading normal?
- What is my cholesterol level and how does this affect my heart?
- Am I experiencing a heart symptom due to my age, gender, or weight?
- Are my symptoms indicating a heart attack?
Can heart problems appear out of nowhere?
When we hear about heart attacks, it’s typically something that’s come on out of nowhere and was unexpected. But some heart symptoms—depending on the situation—can last for several days. “Everybody’s different,” Dr. Gulati says.
What can be mistaken for heart problems?
In most people, non-cardiac chest pain is related to a problem with the esophagus, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease. Other causes include muscle or bone problems, lung conditions or diseases, stomach problems, stress, anxiety, and depression.
What is a stress test at the cardiologist?
A stress test is performed so that a cardiologist can assess the heart’s condition during exercise. During a stress test, otherwise known as an exercise test, a patient is hooked up to an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor that evaluates the rhythm of the heart during exercise.
What happens when you see a cardiologist for the first time?
Your cardiac nurse or cardiologist will check your vital signs and perform a physical exam. They may also order a number of tests and diagnostic procedures, depending on your symptoms, risk factors and health history.
Can chest pain cause an ECG to show ischemia?
This is corroborated by millions of exercise stress tests, where ischemic ECG changes always precede symptoms of ischemia. In summary, if an ECG recorded during chest pain does not display ischemia, then the chest pain is not caused by myocardial ischemia.
What makes you worry that chest pain is serious?
What makes you worry that chest pain is serious, like a heart attack. Millions of Americans with chest pain are seen in hospital emergency departments every year. Only 20\% of them are diagnosed with a heart attack or an episode of unstable angina, a warning sign that a heart attack may happen soon.
Why is it important to record ECG during chest pain?
It is of paramount importance to record the ECG during ongoing chest pain if the opportunity is given. An ECG without ischemic ST-T changes when recording during chest pain is not consistent with myocardial ischemia. In other words, chest pain caused by ischemia will always result in ischemic ST-T changes.
What are the symptoms of chest pain associated with heart disease?
Chest pain related to your heart is often accompanied by shortness of breath or other breathing difficulties. You may also experience heart palpitations or a racing heart. 1. Angina Chest pain associated with angina: described as pressure, or a feeling like your heart is being squeezed