Heart Screening

Cardiac Screening Test

Some heart attacks and strokes are preventable with early detection. At The Keyhole Heart Clinic, we provide world-class heart screening and private health checks for heart disease. The clinic is led by Mr Inder Birdi, a consultant heart surgeon with over 35 years of experience treating patients with cardiac disease.

Our three-step heart health check allows us to assess your current condition accurately. This in-depth check benefits our patients as we can then make a diagnosis and advise on any treatment if needed.

We are the cardiac experts you can trust. Learn more about a private heart scan in our resources below.

When to Get Your Heart Health Screening 

You should consider attending a cardiac health screening if any of the following apply:

• Aged 40 or older 

• Family history of early heart disease or stroke

• High cholesterol or high blood pressure

• You are suffering from symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations or dizziness

• You smoke or used to smoke

• You have diabetes or prediabetes

• High-performance athletes should consider a sports cardiology evaluation to assess their cardiac health, especially if they experience unusual symptoms during physical exertion.

If your resting heart rate is often above 100 and you’re not experiencing any underlying health issues, stress, or are not an endurance athlete, consult your doctor. If it drops below 40 and you’re not a trained athlete, that’s also a concern. It could point to thyroid issues, anaemia or a cardiac rhythm problem.

Three-Step Heart Screening Tests

Performing these three tests allows us to visualise your current condition and find any irregularities in the performance of your heart. 

Blood Tests

A blood test will be carried out to check for general disorders such as anaemia or inflammation and determine your general health.

One risk factor that’s often overlooked is Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a). It’s a type of cholesterol that’s passed down genetically. High levels can triple your risk of cardiac conditions, but it’s not included in routine blood tests.

If you or your family have a history of early cardiac disease or high cholesterol, please ask specifically to have your Lp(a) levels checked at your appointment.

Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)

An ECG will only take a few minutes to perform, with electrodes attached to the chest and providing a report for our analysis. This electrical recording of the heart’s activity will help us discover if you have any underlying heart muscle abnormalities.

Echocardiogram

An echocardiogram, a non-invasive ultrasound test, helps us assess heart muscle function. When conducting a health screening for heart disease, echocardiography is a crucial step. This check creates an image of your heart by bouncing sound waves off the organ. An echocardiogram will also provide vital data on the heart muscle and valve functions. We can monitor this all without pain or incisions.

Additional Cardiovascular Screening Tests

We also have other heart health screening tests available during a private heart scan, including:   

CT Calcium Score

A CT (computed tomography) Calcium Score is provided through x-ray equipment. It produces pictures of the coronary arteries to determine whether or not they are blocked or even narrowed, making it ideal to check for coronary artery disease (CAD). It will provide a score that we can use to assess your health.

CT Coronary Angiography

A CT coronary angiogram can provide detailed images of your heart and coronary arteries, making it helpful in assessing any existing health problems, meaning our cardiologists can then plan the best treatment needed to help you.

Cardiac MRI

A cardiac MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) helps determine the blood supply to the heart and identifies if a patient has reduced blood flow to the heart muscle that may cause chest pain in concerned patients. It will also show any congenital heart conditions that developed before birth, and if there is any existing damage to the heart muscle from a recent heart attack. 

Invasive Coronary Angiography

Invasive Coronary Angiography is done under local anaesthetic and is typically reserved for cases where non-invasive tests suggest significant disease.

You’ll be attached to an ECG, and a small catheter is inserted through a blood vessel in your wrist or groin and into your heart. A dye will be injected into your heart to help take X-ray images. The x-rays show how well your heart muscle is working and highlight any narrowed heart arteries, which are a critical sign of coronary heart disease.

The cost of these additional tests, such as CT Coronary Angiography or Cardiac MRI, will be discussed with you during your consultation, allowing you to make informed decisions about your cardiac health.

We have helped numerous patients through successful private heart health check-ups and ongoing treatment at The Keyhole Heart Clinic. Read our patient testimonials to learn about their positive experiences.

The Keyhole Heart Clinic: We Care About Your Heart Health

The Keyhole Heart Clinic has a reputation for providing first-class service and facilities, ensuring that choosing to have your heart disease screening through us will be the right choice for your long-term health. 

In addition to heart screening, we provide a range of cardiac care services that cater to the needs of our patients, from the initial consultation all the way through to undergoing keyhole heart surgery and aftercare. We have detailed information about many different cardiac conditions so that you can be as informed as possible, from Aortic Stenosis to Mitral Valve Regurgitation.

Of course, we are always available to discuss any queries or concerns you may have about heart health or screening for heart disease. We understand that being diagnosed with a cardiac disease can be overwhelming. We also have many helpful videos that discuss our services and the different conditions around heart health.

Contact us today to book a cardiac health check and take control of your heart health. We provide clear, upfront cost details during your appointment to ensure complete transparency.