Question: I exercise, eat well, and feel completely fine. Why should I get my heart checked?
This is a very common question! Many people think they only need to see a doctor when they feel sick. But when it comes to heart disease, feeling healthy doesn’t always mean you are healthy. Here’s why:
Heart Disease Can Be Silent
Heart disease is often called a “silent killer” because it can develop for years without causing any symptoms you can feel. By the time you notice problems, significant damage may have already occurred.
Think about it this way:
- You don’t feel high blood pressure, but it silently damages your blood vessels and heart
- You don’t feel cholesterol building up in your arteries until they’re significantly blocked
- You don’t feel early changes in your heart rhythm that might lead to serious problems later
Mrs. Patel, a 52-year-old who never smoked and walked daily, felt perfectly fine until she had a sudden heart attack. During her recovery, tests showed her arteries had been narrowing for years. “If only I had gotten tested earlier,” she said, “I could have made changes or taken medication to prevent this.”
Tests That Can Find Hidden Problems
Several important tests can detect heart issues before you feel any symptoms:
Calcium Score Test This simple CT scan looks for hardened calcium in your heart’s arteries. It can show plaque buildup years before you might have symptoms. A score of zero means very low risk, while higher scores indicate more plaque and higher risk.
ApoB Blood Test This test measures a protein that carries “bad” cholesterol in your blood. Research shows it may be more accurate than traditional cholesterol tests at predicting heart attack risk. Many people with “normal” cholesterol levels still have high ApoB, which puts them at risk.
Blood Pressure Check This basic test is easy but powerful. High blood pressure typically causes no symptoms until it leads to serious problems like heart attack or stroke.
Blood Sugar Test Diabetes and pre-diabetes increase heart disease risk significantly. Many people have elevated blood sugar for years without knowing it.
Who Should Get Tested?
You should consider heart testing even if you feel fine if you:
- Are over 40 years old
- Have family members who had heart problems, especially at younger ages
- Are South Asian (people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal have higher heart risks)
- Have risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking history, or obesity
- Lead a sedentary lifestyle
- Have had pregnancy complications like preeclampsia or gestational diabetes
The Advantage of Early Testing
Finding problems early gives you more options:
- You might only need simple lifestyle changes rather than medications
- You can prevent a heart attack instead of treating one after it happens
- You’ll have more time to make gradual, sustainable changes
Bottom Line
Having heart tests when you feel fine is like checking your car’s engine before a long trip, even though it seems to be running well. It’s about prevention, not just treatment.
Remember, the first symptom of heart disease can be the most serious one – a heart attack. Many people who had heart attacks say they felt completely normal the day before.
Your heart works 24/7 for your entire life without a break. Isn’t it worth checking in on it occasionally, even when everything seems fine?
