As Heart Health Month begins, cardiologist highlights importance of key heart tests

Mysuru: Even as February, starting in a couple of days, is internationally recognised as Heart Health Awareness Month, an expert cardiologist has explained the significance of various tests related to heart problems.

Dr C B Keshavamurthy, consultant – interventional cardiology, in a Mysuru hospital, said, it is natural for patients to feel overwhelmed by medical tests, particularly heart-related ones.

“It is natural for patients to ask ‘Doctor, are these tests really necessary?’ ECG, often the first test, is like checking the electrical activities of the heart. It tells if the heartbeat is regular, too fast, too slow, or showing signs of past stress or injury. Echo or echocardiogram uses sound waves, to visualise the heart in motion. An Echo lets us see the heart, how well it pumps, how the valves move, and if the chambers are functioning normally,” Dr Keshavamurthy said.

“TMT or treadmill test helps us understand how the heart behaves during physical stress and if exertion triggers warning signs of reduced blood supply. Angiogram looks directly at the heart’s arteries. An angiogram gives clarity on where the blockage is and how severe it is,” he said.