Heart disease is a serious health issue in Hong Kong, with it being the third leading cause of death following cancer and pneumonia, and it’s becoming more prevalent among younger individuals. Dubbed as the “silent killer”, heart disease often comes unnoticed until patients are struck with angina or a heart attack. That’s why regular heart check-ups are essential to identify any underlying heart issues as soon as possible.

Heart disease generally refers to a range of conditions affecting the heart and its functions, including coronary heart disease, arrhythmia, congenital heart disease, etc., with coronary heart disease as the most common cause of death. When we talk about heart disease, we usually refer to a broader range of cardiovascular issues. These conditions are mainly caused by narrowed or blocked blood vessels due to cholesterol build-up on the inner walls of the coronary arteries, triggering angina, stroke or myocardial infarction. Other heart problems like issues with the heart muscles, valves or heart rhythm also fall under this category.

The American Heart Association suggests everyone receive heart check-ups starting from the age of 20, while individuals with these risk factors should receive examinations earlier and more often:

-High blood pressure

-High cholesterol

-High blood sugar

-Diabetes

-Overweight or obesity

-Unhealthy lifestyle (such as smoking or drinking)

-A family history of heart disease

-High blood pressure during pregnancy

-Pre-eclampsia

re:HEALTH offers a comprehensive heart examination with items including:

-Physical examination (blood pressure, pulse, height, weight, BMI)

-Cardiac function tests (electrocardiogram, exercise electrocardiogram)

-Blood lipid tests (total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides)

-Blood tests

-Diabetes tests

-Liver and renal function tests

-Inflammatory markers

-Uric acid test

Depending on the patient’s condition, doctors may recommend further examinations such as an echocardiogram, cardiac CT scan, or coronary angiogram.

Echocardiogram

Echocardiogram is a non-invasive, convenient and safe examination that shows a part of the heart structure. It can be used to assess the size and shape of the heart, examine its pumping strength (contracting and relaxing functions), test for any heart valve diseases (regurgitation, stenosis) or congenital heart defects, and evaluate the extent of myocardial damage caused by coronary artery disease. Echocardiogram cannot create images of coronary arteries.

Cardiac CT scan

A cardiac CT scan visualises heart blood vessels to diagnose coronary artery anomalies, coronary artery fistula, ductus arteriosus or aortic dissection, aortic aneurysm, pulmonary embolism, left atrial thrombosis and other cardiac problems.

However, remember that after receiving a comprehensive heart examination, there’s still a chance of sudden cardiac death due to hidden risks such as asymptomatic arrhythmia. So, apart from regular heart check-ups, you should also build a fitness routine, maintain a balanced diet and keep a healthy state of mind to effectively prevent heart disease.

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