Seattle Cardiovascular Testing
Apollo Health Clinic
Cardiovascular diseases are among the most pervasive chronic conditions in medicine. Caused by atheroma, or small fatty lumps that form along arterial walls in the body, the presence of cardiovascular problems is often hard to detect without careful monitoring and testing.
Who Should Undergo Cardiovascular Testing?
Adults over 40 and those with a history of cardiovascular diseases in their family should undergo cardiovascular testing in order to determine risk factors and make necessary steps toward improving their cardiovascular health.
If a member of your family has developed early cardiovascular problems (before ages 55-65) or if an immediate family member has a serious hereditary lipid disorder, you should undergo cardiovascular testing.
How Does the Assessment Work?
Cardiovascular tests typically include a verbal questionnaire to determine your family’s health history and various lifestyle factors that may contribute to cardiovascular problems. These factors include smoking, poor diet, sedentary lifestyles, diabetes, heavy drinking, and obesity.
The medical professional will perform a blood test for blood cholesterol and glucose levels as well as blood pressure measurements. From there, your risk factors will be determined by calculating this data alongside your age, sex, ethnicity, and family history.
About the Assessment Score
Each patient is issued a score based on a percentage, which estimates the individual’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This percentage is based on probability over a period of ten years.
The results are classified in three categories:
– High risk – scores of 20% or more are considered at high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases in the next decade.
– Moderate risk – scores between 10-20% suggest a 1-10 or 2-10 chance of developing a cardiovascular disease within the next ten years. Those at moderate risk of cardiovascular disease should be re-assessed on an annual basis.
– Low risk – scores below 10% are considered at low risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. These patients should be tested once every five years.
About the Boston Heart Diagnostics Test
Boston Heart Diagnostics Lab Testing was developed by the leading researchers and clinicians in Advanced Cardiovascular disease testing. Simply put, the Boston Heart health diagnostics testing tests: Genetics (Statin Induced Myopathy (SLOCO1B1) Genotype Test – how people will respond to statin medications; methylation status via MTHFR genetic mutation; ApoB Status to rule out genetic inheritance and predisposition to early heart attacks and strokes and response to nutritional therapy; LPA inheritance of CVD); Fatty Acid Balance Test (find out how much saturated fat, omega 3 and 6 Fatty acids you have and what you need); Pre-diabetes Assessment Test, HDL Map Test, and Cholesterol Balance Test, Inflammation Tests, and fractionated Lipids.
If You Are at Moderate or High Risk
Treatment options are available for those at moderate to high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. While medication is available to treat symptoms of cardiovascular diseases, most medical professionals will recommend lifestyle changes in addition to medical treatments. Statin medicines to lower cholesterol and blood pressure medication are typically prescribed, as is smoking cessation, dietary changes, weight reduction, regular physical activity, and reduction in alcohol consumption.
Furthermore, you may be referred to specialists for treatment, with dietitians, stop smoking clinics, and supervised exercise regiments common solutions.
For more information on cardiovascular testing services at Apollo Health Clinic, contact Dr. Samuel Madeira today.