Healthy Living Newsletter
Looking Inside the Heart
Mercy Hospital offers high-tech views of your heart through advanced Cardiac Scoring services
Dennis Noble’s heart simply beats to a different drum. That’s not a euphemism for 58-year-old resident of Berlin Township. He’s suffered five heart attacks over the past 10 years and didn’t know it when each event occurred.
“I rely on the expertise of others,” explains Dennis. “I don’t have the traditional symptoms of a heart attack, so I look for and depend on medical advancements and information from professionals.”
The need to know the status of his heart is important to Dennis. That’s why, when he found he could receive a non-invasive heart screening at Mercy Hospital, Dennis made an appointment.
Dennis utilized Mercy’s Cardiac Scoring service to find out if his heart was getting stronger or weaker.
“Previously, I received a stent and I’m currently on heart medications,” explains Dennis. “I thought I was doing okay, I’m physically active, and I’m in pretty good shape. Although I thought things were getting better, I did notice I was feeling tired. After the procedure, I found out my heart wasn’t doing as well as I had thought. The fact that I was feeling exhausted really meant that my heart was stressed.”
Dennis isn’t alone in his inability to recognize symptoms of heart disease. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death among American adults. Approximately 50 percent of individuals often exhibit no symptoms and feel healthy just prior to a heart attack.
“Mercy’s Cardiac Scoring service accurately measures the amount of calcified plaque in the arteries providing patients, like Dennis, with the information necessary to develop a care plan with their physician,” explains Lora Fridline, Director of Diagnostic Services at Mercy Hospital.
“The test begins with a fast and painless computer tomography (CT) exam. CT, more commonly known as CAT scanning, uses x-rays and multiple detectors to create live-action interior images of the heart,” continues Fridline. “By analyzing images of the coronary arteries, a radiologist can determine how much calcified plaque the arteries contain. When arteries are clogged, the plaque slows the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart muscle and increases the chance of fatal and non-fatal heart failure.”
“What I found from my test,” continues Dennis, “is that I couldn’t trust how my body felt. After my cardiologist reviewed the test results, I was scheduled for a traditional stress test.”
Dennis’ Cardiologist Vrajmohan Parikh, MD, of Cardiology Associates, PC, determined that there was additional blockage and adjusted Dennis’ medications as a result. “I’m also visiting the doctor more regularly,” says Dennis. “He wants to keep a closer look at my heart’s health.”
Married to wife Jewel for 40 years, the retired Ford Motor Company worker, father of three and grandfather of nine says his testing at Mercy Hospital couldn’t have been better.
“It was a great opportunity to see if my health was on track,” concludes Dennis. “What I found is that I have to be continually evaluating my heart’s health and working with my doctors to adjust my care and treatment. If I hadn’t had the test and found the new blockage, who knows what would have happened?”
Mercy Hospital’s Cardiac Scoring service is a comprehensive diagnostic tool. Heart scores can help determine risk for developing heart disease and enables patients to undergo additional testing and modify lifestyle issues under the care of their physician. It is a tool to provide a preliminary assessment of risk for developing coronary heart disease. The test includes the CT exam, radiologist interpretation, and a final report to the patient and his/her physician. Heart scores are generally not covered by insurance. The cost of Mercy’s comprehensive Cardiac Scoring is $395. No physician referral is necessary. To make your appointment, please call (810) 985-1455.
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STEP 1: Dennis Noble of Berlin Township prepares to undergo a painless Cardiac Scoring test at Mercy Hospital. The test revealed that Dennis’ heart wasn’t as healthy as he had thought. |
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STEP 2: CT Scanning Technician Rachael Mugridge captures the images of Dennis Noble’s heart through Mercy’s advanced 32-Slice computer tomography (CT) scanning equipment. |
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STEP 3: The results of Dennis Noble’s Cardiac Scoring diagnostic test at Mercy Hospital showed a blockage (section in red) in Dennis’ heart. These images, as well as real-time video of his working heart, were reviewed by a local radiologist and provided to his cardiologist for further study and diagnosis. As a result, his cardiologist adjusted his medications to help in keeping Dennis’ heart healthy. |
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