3 Heart Tests a Cardiologist Says You Should Never Skip

Heart disease is the most lethal disease in America, according to the American Heart Association—killing 2,500 people per day, or one person every 34 seconds. The growing prevalence of obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes has experts concerned these rates will continue to climb, which is why doctors are taking heart health seriously.

In fact, one doctor, Jeremy London, MD, a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon in Savannah, Georgia with 25 years of experience, is taking to TikTok to educate the masses. In a new video, he outlines three important heart tests that everyone should know about. Considering heart disease is the “number one killer of men and women worldwide,” Dr. London explains, it’s important to “learn what’s in your toolbox so you can understand your risk.”

Here are the three tests Dr. London suggests for anyone experiencing heart issues.

1. An echocardiogram

“This is just like the ultrasounds that are done during pregnancy,” Dr. London says in the video.

According to the Mayo Clinic, this screening is performed on patients who are complaining of chest pain or shortness of breath.

There are several different types of heart-related echocardiograms, including Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE), Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE), and Stress echocardiogram. The most common is TTE, which is what Dr. London refers to.

“A small probe is placed on the chest and this can evaluate valve function as well as the strength of the heart,” he explains. The probe sends high-frequency sound waves into the chest, which bounce off of your heart and other tissues, creating echoes that can be transformed into a moving image.

These echocardiograms can also help diagnose congenital heart defects, murmurs, heart damage, inflammation, or blood flow issues.

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2. A stress test

“You’re placed on a treadmill with EKG pads and then exercised at different levels of exertion, looking for symptoms and changes in your EKG,” Dr. London says.

Also called a cardiac stress test, this screening can help diagnose conditions like coronary artery disease, heart rhythm problems, and assess the effectiveness of heart treatments, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Stress tests are considered safe for most patients and are tailored specifically for men and women based on your age, family history, medications, physical activity, and other factors. The test lasts about 10 to 15 minutes and is vital to understand your heart function and blood flow.

3. A calcium scoring CT scan

“You’re placed in a CT scanner and actual pictures of the calcium burden are recorded,” says Dr. London.

Calcium burden refers to hardened plaque—caused by a blood vessel injury, diabetes, smoking, or a poor diet—that can narrow or block the coronary arteries. This is called coronary artery disease (CAD), and often goes undetected. In fact, the first sign you have CAD may be a heart attack, experts at Temple Health say, which is why prevention is so important.

If the CT scan finds areas of plaque buildup, doctors will count those up to give you a score.

“You’re given a score from zero to 400, determining whether or not you have significant calcium buildup in the arteries,” says Dr. London.

These scores include:

• 0: no calcification
• 1 to 10: minimal calcification
• 11 to 100: mild calcification
• 101 to 400: moderate calcification
• Over 400: severe calcification

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While these three tests need to be recommended by your doctor, Dr. London explains they’re pretty simple and easy to do. “These are all noninvasive tests, no needles, no entry into the body,” he says. “But they’re screening tests and each one of them has limitations.”

For more personalized recommendations, talk to your doctor about which heart tests should be part of your preventative care.