Live Longer, Live Younger: Design Your Personal Plan for a Long and Healthy Life by Dr Rajendra Sharma

Author:Dr Rajendra Sharma [Sharma, Dr Rajendra]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Tags: Live Longer Live Younger: Design Your Personal Plan for a Long and Healthy Life
ISBN: 9781780286365
Publisher: Watkins Media Ltd
Published: 2013-12-25T16:00:00+00:00

Advanced investigations

If you fall into one of the risk categories below, you should ask for advanced investigation into the health of your cardiovascular system.

• You have hereditary or genetic risks. You are at a greater risk of arterial disease if you have close family members who have had a history of heart or arterial disease, or stroke; a father, mother or sibling who has had problems with their heart or arteries below the age of 65; family members with high blood fats (triglycerides); high cholesterol; and any history of diabetes.

• You have high blood pressure (hypertension).

• You have other specific diseases that affect the heart and arteries, such as thyroid disorders and diabetes.

• You suffer from obesity or you are overweight.

• You do not exercise enough (see Chapter 3).

• You drink too much alcohol (three or more units a day for men and two for women).

• You use recreational drugs, including (in particular) being a smoker, or some prescription medication.

• You eat fewer than nine or ten portions of fruit or vegetable per day.

ADVANCED TESTS

CT calcium score

Using a special X-ray system known as computed tomography (CT) scanning, this test looks for the deposition of calcium in the artery or arterial walls. The test can check for the early stages of disease, but should not be used too often as, depending upon the precise equipment, it could deliver the equivalent of 750 chest X-rays’ worth of radiation. Newer machines will deliver lower doses of radiation, so ask before you take the test.

Coronary angiography or CT, MRI or virtual angiography

A doctor is likely to refer a person with a severe risk of, or who has signs or symptoms of coronary or arterial disease, to a cardiologist. This specialist heart surgeon will have a wealth of sophisticated equipment available for measuring cardiovascular health. Most pieces of machinery involve radiation or the invasive administration of X-ray opaque material. It is worth discussing with a complementary medical practitioner how best to protect yourself from the risks of these kinds of test: for example, by taking anti-oxidants, which counteract the influence of the free radicals that radiation produces.

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