Diagnosis and Progression of CAD 

The heart is an organ that is protected very well by the body.  It is a mysterious organ that has fascinated humans since the dawn of time.  It has hid it's secrets from us, good or bad...so how does one find out if we have plaque buildup or if we are in danger of a heart attack?!  There are six methods that are very effective at diagnosing any malaise in the heart, especially for CAD. However, CAD is not diagnosed with just one of these tests.  If the doctor suspects any CAD, he will order more than one of the following tests (1).  These include: 

EKG(Electrocardiogram):

The EKG/ECG test is a test that measures your heart's electrical activity to find out how strong and fast the heart is beating (1).  Any anomalies in the beats will mean that there is something that is affecting how the heart is beating. From reading the charts, it is also possible to determine where in your heart the problem is stemming from! 

Stress testing: 

Stress testing is a very clever way for us to see how your heart is doing..... by making it work!  What better way to test your heart than by making it exercise?  While you exercise, your heart is monitored to find any abnormalities.  If you can't exercise, medications are given to raise your heart rate instead.  If you can't exercise as long as the normal range for your age, the heart may not be getting enough blood due to the arteries being blocked from plaque buildup (1).  Other symptoms to look out for are, abnormal changes in heart rate and/or blood pressure, shortness of breath or chest pain, and abnormal changes in your heart activity/rhythm (1). 

Echocardiography: 

This amazing technology is used to visualize your heart by using the sounds of your heart!  Think of it as a bat that uses echolocation to visualize everything around it.  Now that is what an echocardiogram does. 

Chest X-Ray:

How can the x-ray help see your heart?  The x-ray can see whether your heart is larger or smaller, which is indicative of heart failure.  The larger the heart is, the harder it has to work, which means the heart is facing a pathological resistance (1).  

Blood Tests: 

The blood test is a great way to measure whether or not somebody is at risk of CAD.  This test draws out a person's blood, then measures the level of fats, cholesterol, proteins, and sugar in your blood (1).  It also measures certain chemicals released by your heart called bio-markers that indicate whether the heart has been damaged (2).  All of these factors can cause damage/measure damage to the arteries, in which fat can accumulate and narrow the passage to blood flow. 

Coronary Angiography and Cardiac Catheterization:  

 

Coronary angiography and cardiac Catheterization is the use of special dyes and x-rays in order to show the arteries in the heart (2).  Cardiac catheterization is the insertion of a special tube into your bloodstream, then a special dye is released (2).  A special x-ray is then used.  It can show any occluded arteries or ones that are in danger of being occluded. 

Works Cited 

1) How Is Coronary Heart Disease Diagnosed? (2014, September 29). Retrieved January 26, 2015, from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/cad/diagnosis

2) Voss, J. (Director) (2015, January 26). Acute Coronary Syndrome. Lecture conducted from , Seattle.