Your heart is a muscular pump that circulates the blood to all parts of your body. The blood carries oxygen and nutrients needed to keep you alive and healthy. Your heart will, on average, beat more than 2.5 billion times over your lifetime!
Heart Disease
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in Australia, and whilst this is a worrying statistic, in many cases it is preventable. Simple non-invasive tests can identify people at risk, as well as diagnose those who have already developed problems. Treatment of heart disease is highly effective but requires accurate diagnosis. At Hornsby Cardiac Diagnostic Unit we provide the full range of non-invasive diagnostic tests, and have affiliations with many conveniently located hospitals for those patients who might require more involved assessment. There is minimal waiting time for test appointments, and reports and treatments recommendations are promptly returned to your referring doctor.
Risk Factors
Common factors which increase the risk of developing heart disease include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, excess alcohol consumption, smoking, and a family history of heart disease. Controlling or eliminating modifiable risk factors goes a long way in decreasing the chance of people getting cardiovascular disease
Warning Signs
Common symptoms that patients may experience when they have heart disease include chest, jaw or arm pain or tightness; shortness of breath; reduced exercise tolerance; light headedness; blackouts; awareness of abnormal or irregular heart beating (called palpitations). However, it is well recognised that patients can have significant heart problems without experiencing any symptoms at all.