Monitor Heart Health: Common Heart Health Screenings You Should Know About

heart health screening

Key highlights or summary

  • Heart health screenings are important as they help you understand if you have any heart health issues.
  • Blood glucose test, lipid profile, blood pressure test, and checking of BMI are a few routine tests that your doctor will order as a part of heart health screenings.
  • If the doctor feels that you might develop heart disease, some specific tests like electrocardiogram and echo can be ordered.

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Frequently asked questions

Get the information you need.

Common screenings include blood pressure measurement, cholesterol level tests, electrocardiograms (ECG), echocardiograms, and stress tests.

Adults should have their blood pressure checked at least once every two years if it’s normal, and more frequently if it’s elevated or if you have risk factors for heart disease.

Cholesterol screening helps detect high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, which can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
 

An ECG records the electrical activity of the heart and can detect irregular heartbeats, heart attacks, and other heart conditions.

A stress test is recommended if you have symptoms of heart disease, such as chest pain or shortness of breath, or if you have risk factors like diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of heart disease.