Cardiovascular / heart flow testing?

[RSTurboPaul]

I admit I haven't searched on this because the search thing is, er, less than ideal...


... but may I ask if anyone is aware of (privately available? NHS?) testing of heart flow / blood pumping capacity?


Reason I ask is that a friend has lost a load of weight and is looking to do some exercise now, but I worry that there will be underlying 'congestion' issues due to arterial build-up from years of poor diet, which could potentially lead to a heart attack if physical exertion/stress suddenly begins.

I think I'm right in saying they do (barium-based?) flow analysis via X-ray in heart attack victims (IIRC?) but is that the only option?


Any help very gratefully received, thank you in advance!

[colin_p]

Asking for a friend


There are two main ways to assess:

1, Angiogram - this means getting into a catheter lab which are almost exclusively reserved for people who have had or are having heart attacks. I would imagine that if this was available privately, it would be very very expensive.

2, Echocardiogram - like a pregnancy test but for your heart. You might be able to blag one by saying you are preggers with a food baby, or something like that.

[Badda]

You definitely do NOT want an angio 'just to have a look' with no clinical indications, they are far from a harmless intervention.

Go get some bloods done and see how your cholesterol looks to start with, and consider how this is with BP in mind too.

[Road2Ruin]

I have had both and don't fancy and angiogram again any time soon. The echocardiogram was fine, but not sure it looks at the heart arteries, just the heart, valves and chambers, so may not be what you are looking for.

[jagnet]

A coronary calcium scan is possibly what you might want if you're concerned about arterial plaque.

https://www.rivershospital.co.uk/treatments/ct-cal...

[knk]

Exercise ECG is a good screen, add an ECHO for structural defects and a cardiac MRI and that covers pretty much all.
Any private cardiologist will advise and arrange.

[gangzoom]

knk said:

Any private cardiologist will advise and arrange.

Good old PP work, who else is going to pay for the Easter ski holidays .

[gangzoom]

RSTurboPaul said:

Reason I ask is that a friend has lost a load of weight and is looking to do some exercise now, but I worry that there will be underlying 'congestion' issues due to arterial build-up from years of poor diet, which could potentially lead to a heart attack if physical exertion/stress suddenly begins.

If some one has no symptoms of any chest pain at all, finding something that would cause them to have a massive heart attack without any pre-warning is something hard to do.

There is currently a 3-4months+ waiting list in our local cardiac unit for any form of coronary artery imaging (CT or invasive) for people who are actually ill, versus worried well. Zero chance you will get any where asking for functional cardiac imaging on the NHS just because you are worried.

Go private and you might get some where, but a Stress ECHO or Myocardial Perfusion Scans are probably the best way to see if there is any underlying ischemia, a standard echo/ECG is a waste of time for what your are asking for. Private companies will happly take your £££ for those tests still but essentially you are talking about assessing cardiac reserve, which means you need to stress the heart whilst doing imaging - though an exercise tolerance test is a very old fashioned way to do it too.

If my wife did any private work I would gladly point you in her direction, as she actually carries out and reports results of functional imaging at a top national/international level in one of the best cardiac units in the UK, but sadly for some reason she prefers to spends her spare time at home with me/family, so has no interest in any additional £££ work .

Edited by gangzoom on Tuesday 7th June 23:18

[TwistingMyMelon]

RSTurboPaul said:

I admit I haven't searched on this because the search thing is, er, less than ideal...


... but may I ask if anyone is aware of (privately available? NHS?) testing of heart flow / blood pumping capacity?


Reason I ask is that a friend has lost a load of weight and is looking to do some exercise now, but I worry that there will be underlying 'congestion' issues due to arterial build-up from years of poor diet, which could potentially lead to a heart attack if physical exertion/stress suddenly begins.

I think I'm right in saying they do (barium-based?) flow analysis via X-ray in heart attack victims (IIRC?) but is that the only option?


Any help very gratefully received, thank you in advance!

Id just see your GP - listen to their advice and then just crack on gently building up the exercise