One may have a valve problem but never have a symptom but for people who do have symptoms should seek treatment. A doctor may order tests to determine whether the heart is working fine if he suspects a problem with a valve in the heart. Prior to discussing about the diagnostic tests, read about the life-saving CPR procedures.
The CPR procedures are a series of chest compressions and rescue breathings which when administered in the ratio of 30:2 can revive the life of a victim involved in a cardiac emergency like a cardiac arrest or heart attack. Every individual should undergo training to be able to face these emergencies efficiently in out-of-hospital cases. Select a certified training center for acquiring training such as the AHA certified CPR Kansas City. Become certified at the end of the training classes after successfully passing a skills test and written exam. Here’s a brief on a “BLS for healthcare providers Kansas City” course:
Basic Life Support- This course is required for students in Healthcare and Medical Related Programs. This class satisfies all CPR requirements for nursing school, medical school, dental school, pharmacy school and all other healthcare related school programs. This course teaches Basic Life Support for infants, adults, and children.
The program fee is $70. You can move on to advanced courses after finishing with this course.
Diagnostic tests used to detect heart valve disease include:
Echocardiogram- This is also referred to as cardiac ultrasound and is a non-invasive test that shows the size and shape of your heart valves and chambers, how well the heart is circulating blood and if a valve has become narrowed or is allowing blood to flow or leak backward. A doctor will most likely recommend (to an individual with valve disease) having an echocardiogram very six or twelve months to monitor the progress of valve disease.
Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE)- Doctors recommend TEE to get better image of the heart. This isn’t a painful procedure as a patient is asleep during the test.
Chest X-ray- Chest X-rays show enlarged sections of the heart, fluid in the lungs and calcium deposits in your ticker.
Electrocardiogram- An ECG (or EKG) detects and records the electrical activity of your heart which can reveal an irregular heartbeat, signs of a previous heart attack, and whether certain chambers of your heart are enlarged.
Stress Test- Stress tests show presence of symptoms of heart valve disease when the ticker is working hard. It also helps a doctor in assessing the severity of the disease.
CT Scans- CT scans are used to obtain pictures of the heart chambers and arteries for diagnosing heart valve problems.
Cardiac MRI- Cardiac MRI is a noninvasive medical test that creates detailed images of the heart by using a powerful magnet, radio waves and a computer. It provides more detailed information about valve defects than other tests.
Cardiac Catheterization- Cardiac catheterization is recommended by doctors when they continue to have questions after seeing a patient’s echocardiogram results which helps to assess if the symptoms are due to a valve problem or if they relate to a blockage in the artery—which is indicative of coronary artery disease (CAD). Cardiac catheterization helps in knowing the exact pressures in the heart chambers or lung vessels which is sometimes required.
In consultation with your doctor, find out how often you should have additional testing to monitor your heart valve problems.
Join a course at CPR Kansas City and gain benefits. For more information, call on 913-998-7499.
Comments
Post a Comment