The leading cause of death in Malaysia is ischaemic heart disease, or heart disease caused by the narrowing of arteries (also called coronary artery disease). It was also the leading cause of death among Malaysian men, accounting for 17.3% of deaths in 2019. This statistic highlights the importance of proper heart health in Malaysia, and Pantai Hospital is uniquely prepared to help. With cutting-edge technology, our highly trained team of cardiologists can help you to identify, treat and manage heart disease.

Here, we will take a closer look at some of the tools our cardiologists use in Pantai Hospital to better understand and diagnose heart disease in our patients, in particular, the echocardiogram, ECG and MRI.

Understanding Heart Disease

The heart is a complex organ that is indispensable for maintaining life. It beats around 115,000 times each day, and we depend on it to pump 2,000 gallons of blood around our body daily to sustain every cell in our body. Should a part of this complex system of valves, muscles and blood vessels fail, we refer to it as heart disease. But heart disease can be any number of illnesses, such as:

1. Arrhythmia - irregular heart rhythm
2. Atherosclerosis - hardening of the arteries
3. Cardiomyopathy - hardening or weakening of the heart muscles
4. Congenital heart defects - heart irregularities present since birth
5. Ischaemic heart disease (Coronary artery disease) - caused by the build-up of plaque along artery walls
6. Heart infections - caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites

To help doctors and cardiologists diagnose heart disease, there are a number of non-invasive (completely harmless) tools to allow them to listen to or see the inner workings of the heart.

Different Heart Screenings You Should Know About

Any diagnosis will begin with a consultation with your doctor or cardiologist. Taking into account your medical history and the symptoms you are experiencing, they will perform a risk assessment, which includes a physical exam, a blood pressure test, and a blood test² . Several further heart screenings are available, at your doctor’s discretion. Here are some that you should know about:

1. Electrocardiogram (ECG) - measures your heart’s electrical activity. Learn more about the role of ECG in the treatment of cardiovascular problems.
2. Echocardiogram (echo) - a test that uses ultrasound to provide live images of the heart
3. Exercise stress tests - used to measure how your heart responds when it is working at its hardest
4. X-rays - creates an image of the heart using x-rays
5. Coronary angiography - an invasive test where a catheter releases a dye into the blood vessels; when x-rays are taken, this dye shows which blood vessels the blood passes through
6. MRI scans - produces detailed three-dimensional images of the heart using magnetic fields
7. CT scans - produces more detailed images of organs like the heart using x-rays and computers to assist the processing of the images

Echocardiogram, ECG and MRI: When These Tests Are Used

Non-invasive tests are particularly useful as they do not cause any harm or stress to the patient, while much can be learned about how the heart functions. Oftentimes, these tests are complementary and can be used together to reach a diagnosis.

An echocardiogram or echo gives your doctor a wealth of information about the size and shape of your heart, how it moves, and how strong it pumps³. It can also be useful to know:

1. If the heart valves are working correctly, or if blood is leaking backwards through the heart valves (regurgitation).
2. If the heart valves are too narrow (stenosis).
3. If there are problems with the large blood vessels.
4. If there are blood clots in the chambers of the heart or a tumour or infectious growth around the heart valves.

Electrocardiogram (ECG)

An ECG is all about the rhythm of the heart. To be precise, it measures the electrical activity of the heartbeat. This can help doctors find out if the heart is normal, fast, or too slow. And it gives clues as to whether the heart is too large or overworked⁴.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

An MRI scan is useful for evaluating the anatomy and function of heart valves, chambers, as well as surrounding structures. With the highly detailed imagery, doctors are able to diagnose cardiovascular disorders such as tumours, infections and inflammatory conditions, coronary artery disease as well as other conditions. An MRI scan can also be used to plan a patient’s future treatment of cardiological problems⁵.

Our doctors and cardiologists at Pantai Hospitals have all these tools at their disposal to help them do what they do best: help you get better. Book an appointment with one of our cardiologists today to learn more.

References:

1. Department of Statistics Malaysia Official Portal. Accessed Nov 05, 2021 from https://www.dosm.gov.my/v1/index.php?r=column/cthemeByCat&cat=401&bul_id=QTU5T0dKQ1g4MHYxd3ZpMzhEMzdRdz09&menu_id=L0pheU43NWJwRWVSZklWdzQ4TlhUUT09
2. Coronary Heart Disease, NHS UK. Accessed Nov 05, 2021 from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronary-heart-disease/diagnosis/
3. Echocardiogram (Echo), American Heart Association. Accessed Nov 05, 2021 from https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/diagnosing-a-heart-attack/echocardiogram-echo
4. Electrocardiogram, American Heart Association. Accessed Nov 05, 2021 from https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/diagnosing-a-heart-attack/electrocardiogram-ecg-or-ekg
5. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - Cardiac (Heart), RadiologyInfo.org for Patients. Accessed Nov 05, 2021 from https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/cardiacmr

Cardiovascular Conditions

• Coronary artery disease
• Valvular heart disease
• Cardiomyopathy
• Abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia)
• Congenital heart defect
• Peripheral vascular disease
• Heart attack
• Congestive heart failure

Cardiovascular Assessments and Diagnostic Tools

Non-Invasive

• Echocardiogram
• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Treadmill stress test
• Transesophageal adult echocardiogram (TEE)
• Holter monitor
• Implantable loop recorder
• Ultrasound studies
• Cardiac catherization
• Nuclear cardiology

Invasive and minimally invasive

• Interventional cardiology
• Cardiac electrophysiology