Thursday 29th September is World Heart Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness around the cause and prevention of cardiovascular diseases around the world.
It is important to know that Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is accountable for nearly half of all Non-communicable disease (NCD) deaths, making it the world's number one killer.
At Pall Mall, we offer Private CT Scans that can detect heart disease in its earliest stages and help doctors diagnose problems before they become life-threatening.
What Can a Heart CT Scan Do For Me?
A Heart CT scan will tell your cardiologist whether you have fatty plaques in your coronary arteries, the more plaques you have, the more likely a heart attack is in the future. It will also tell them whether these plaques are likely to be obstructing blood flow to the heart muscle and causing chest pain.
The scan is a quick, convenient non-invasive way of evaluating the amount of calcified (hard) plaque in the heart vessels and can provide a first indication that you may be at a higher risk of having a heart attack
Why Get a Heart CT Scan?
A study from the British Heart Foundation shows that today in the UK, 460 people will die from a heart circulatory disease, with around 130 of them being men under 75. Yet a recent survey of ours found that women are far more likely than men to call their doctors if they spot a sign of a possible health risk.
Dr Chun Tang, Pall Mall’s medical director says: “It’s worrying so many people feel they aren’t able to reach out for professional advice when they could have a serious health issue.
“Everyone should have access to the best possible healthcare, and not have to worry about the implications that might have on the service they are seeking out.
“Having confidence in your own health can set you up for life, and take a weight off your shoulders.”
Who can book in for a Heart CT Scan?
We are encouraging men over 40 and women over 50 to book in for a CT scan if they meet any of the criteria below:
- family history of heart disease
- you have a high red meat or dairy diet
- you have a high alcohol intake
- you lead an inactive lifestyle or you are overweight
- you have diabetes
- you are an active or previous smoker
What to expect during a CT scan?
You’ll be asked to lie on a bed that moves into the CT scanner. The bed moves a few millimetres at a time until the scan is finished, which will take 20 minutes. The scanner consists of a ring that rotates around a small section of your body as you pass through it. Unlike an MRI scanner, it doesn't surround your whole body at once so you won’t feel enclosed.
Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease with These Healthy Habits
The heart is a muscle that pumps blood throughout the body. It takes care of a lot of the work that keeps your body going. If you don’t take care of your heart, you put yourself at risk for heart disease.
To reduce your risk, try to:
- eat healthy foods and avoid junk food
- exercise regularly
- get enough sleep
- stop smoking
Why Choose Pall Mall?
You only get one heart and it’s important to protect it! We are here to help you live a long and healthy life and take away all of your health concerns.
At Pall Mall, we have state-of-the-art, cardiac CT scanners that are one the most cardiac CT scanners in the UK. Our machinery can take pictures of the whole heart in a fraction of a second, giving you fast and convenient results.
Going private allows you to take back control of your health, receiving treatment from our expert medical professionals at a time and place that is convenient to you. Our health checks can give you the facts you need to make lasting changes and lead a healthier and happier lifestyle.
Find out more about our CT services here, or get in touch with us on 03300 27 26 46 if you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment.
