valvular heart disease statistics

It started innocently enough. I went to my primary care physician complaining of dizziness and pain in my back. A quick ECG or electrocardiogram revealed a very fine and operational heart muscle. However, in an age where heart disease as a possibility with multiple risk factors increases, my doctor has decided that a trip to see the cardiologist was in order.

Because I thought, how could it be a problem with my heart? I have just been several 50-pound boxes three stairs just a few weeks. Nevertheless, I thought it better to at least a baseline, so we could each measure, as I get older. And the fact that the dizziness is not gone was still worrying.

The next test was a treadmill or stress test. Because of the dizziness and nausea, however, the heart diagnostic group decided that a chemical stress test was in order. Prepare an IV and has pictures of my heart, before he pointed out. The idea is that you then my heart under certain ordinary and see the reaction. Type like a before and after the kind of images. I could give you the name of the medical tests and drugs, but I'm not a doctor and drag to select a description from the perspective of the patient. So after the first set of images, the technician inserted chemicals in my body through the IV chemically "" Stress "" My heart and my careful monitoring status. A short wait and a series of still images.

In about a week, they called with the results. Instead of saying it straight, I was told only that the tests showed that there may be a problem and make an appointment with a cardiologist immediately. Now I do not like the sound, so that must be immediately critical or just more important that "something". "

After the conversation with the doctor, it was decided that a further series of non-invasive tests were in order. This time it was like a modified CT-scan. They were looking for verification of the calcium deposits in my veins.

This test with the stress test results and showed calcification of the arteries, or atherosclerosis. Of all the tests, it looked as if I had a problem, but the development, how serious it was still a problem. However, it was a blood test for calcium, to a level higher than 90% of people in my age. This has made it! The doctor wanted, and now almost required to see what was going on.

An angiogram was in my immediate future. An angiogram of the rule is an outpatient procedure where the cardiologist on an artery in the leg and works a camera into the heart arteries. It sounds much worse than it is but the advantage is that you know exactly what the status of your heart and arteries are at this time.