A cardiovascular examination is an examination focuses on the heart, the carotid arteries as well as the large abdominal artery and groin arteries. The examination consists of:
Price: € 845
By means of blood tests, we can estimate your cardiovascular risk profile. We test the cholesterol spectrum, kidney, liver and thyroid function, glucose and an exploratory blood count.
A duplex examination of the vessels is a combination of sound waves (Doppler) and ultrasound. With it, the blood flow can be made not only audible, but also visible. It is used to see whether there are any narrowing or dilatation in the area shown in the carotid arteries, the large abdominal artery (aorta) and arteries to the groin. The examination is not painful.
An electrocardiogram or heart image is a simple, risk-free test lasting just a few minutes. You will be given electrodes stuck to your skin. These electrodes can pick up the electrical signal of the heart. The electrodes are attached to the wrists, ankles and chest with stickers. They are connected to the ECG device, which shows the heart's electrical activity in a graph. It is important to be able to lie still in order to avoid disturbances in the video.
Echocardiography uses high-frequency sound waves to look at the size and function of the heart and its valves. Echocardiography can help your cardiologist make the correct diagnosis and determine the right treatment. The examination is carried out by an echocardiographer and is completely painless.
The ergometric test, better known as the bicycle test, shows how your heart holds up when you exert yourself. Therefore, during the test you are supposed to work towards a maximum effort. The cardiac function lab technician will not let you do this for nothing. The lab technician will carefully observe how your heart behaves and how you feel. If you have exerted yourself to the maximum, you may then recover from the exertion in peace.
As the cycling test requires you to supply a lot of energy, it is important that you have eaten something before starting the test. It is important that you wear clothing in which you can move easily (women can keep their bra on). You can change before and after the test, but you cannot shower.
Approximately 1.5 million people in the Netherlands suffer from chronic cardiovascular disease. Every day, over 100 people die of cardiovascular diseases, 24 of whom are under 75 years old. (Source: Heart Foundation).
Screening tests offer the opportunity to make you aware of the risk of cardiovascular disease. If you have no complaints, the examination will usually show no abnormalities and will help to reassure you. If abnormalities are found, you may be referred to your GP or to a specialist. It is possible that an abnormality may be diagnosed at an earlier stage through the preventive examination.
The examination is aimed at cardiovascular diseases and not at general health. A test that detects abnormalities can also be harmful to you, for example if it later turns out that the abnormalities were not real or if there are abnormalities that (will) have no effect on your health. This may cause unnecessary anxiety. Also, abnormalities in the examinations can result in additional, sometimes burdensome, examinations to find out more.
