Heart Attack, Chest Pain and Heart Disease

The technology in this area is changing rapidly and so far The Cardiac Imaging Centre (CIRC)  is only centre in London with the latest scanners that are currently acknowledged to be the state-of-the-art requirements for efficient, accurate and early diagnosisThe process of determining which condition a patient may have. of heart disease.

For those people interested in the technology, the top scanner is called:

Dual-source ultra-fast CTThe abbreviation for computed tomography, a scan that generates a series of cross-sectional x-ray images scanner (Definition), combined with the hybrid CT+Gamma Camera (SPECTAn abbreviation for single photon emission computerised tomography, an imaging technique that uses a radioactive tracer and a gamma camera.-CT) (Symbia T6), 4D- Echocardiography.

This is recognised as the latest state-of-the-art digital and remote telemetry system for exercise testing and 24 hour ECGThe abbreviation for electrocardiogram, a tracing of the electrical activity of the heart to help in the diagnosis of heart disease. monitoring.

Leading UK Cardiologist, Prof Avajit Lahiri says: “It is important to obtain an accurate and rapid diagnosis of coronary artery diseaseNarrowing of the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle, leading to symptoms such as angina and sometimes to a heart attack or myocardial infarction at the outset and exclude non-cardiacRelating to the heart chest pain, since there may be serious consequences with a missed diagnosis. Also it’s vital to understand that the symptoms of heart disease are different in men and women. Women generally have heart attacks later in life (>55yrs) and their symptoms may be masked and be very different from a typical attack in a man. Further, the traditional method of ECGThe abbreviation for electrocardiogram, a method of recording the electrical activity of the heart muscle. It is useful for diagnosing heart disorders. can be inconclusive in women, hence the need to do more effective diagnostic tests to verify if heart disease is present. Similar problems are faced in diabetic patients, where the disease may remain silent for years”.

Chest pains are often the first telltale signs of cardiovascular diseaseDisease of the heart and blood vessels, usually due to atherosclerosis. (CVD), however, in many instances the differential diagnosis of chest pain is elusive, leading to a large number of ‘false’ diagnosis, which is dangerous and creates a very significant impact on resources.

Anyone seeking the latest information on accurate cardiology diagnostics should read Professor Lahiri’s article - Latest Cardiac Diagnostics and Treatment Methods