shabina
HSC LAB unit 14
Investigation and diagnosis
Diagnostic procedures for CHD
ne diagnostic procedure which can be carried out for coronary heart disease is having a blood
o
test done. Blood tests can be accessed locally with a Gps referral and done in the royal
Hallamshire hospital. Blood samples allow professionals to check the levels of cholesterol or
fats that in the blood that may increase the risk of developing CHD. The benefits of carrying out
a blood test is that it can show accurate and direct measurements of substances in the blood. A
limitation of this is that it increases the risk of infection and transmission of illnesses in the
blood so everything needs to be highly sterile. It is also an invasive procedure which involves
puncturing the skin with a needle, so the patient may feel uncomfortable with this and refuse
to go through with it. Also, if the skin is not punctured properly, the needle could go straight
through the vein causing extensive bruising. (whitney firm, 2016)
the justification for carrying out a blood test to diagnose coronary heart disease is that it
provides accurate and direct information about cholesterol and fat levels in the blood, which are
key risk factors for the condition. This information is highly important for healthcare
professionals because it helps them assess the patient’s risk of developing CHD and make
informed decisions about treatment and prevention. For patients, a blood test is often a better
option compared to more invasive or complex procedures because it is relatively quick, and
widely accessible. The benefits of the test is that its able to deliver reliable results, allowing
diagnosis, monitor disease progression, and evaluate the effectiveness of treatments,
ultimately improving patient care and outcomes (Whitney Firm, 2016).
Another diagnostic procedure is having a CT coronary angiogram. This procedure can be done
by any radiologist or cardiologist and can be accessed in the Northern general hospital. This
procedure can reveal the location of the plaque build up, allowing the specialists to identify the
blockages in the arteries and how serious it may be. A benefit of this procedure is that it is a
less invasive procedure compared to the regular angiogram as there is no tubes being inserted
into the blood vessels. However, this procedure can be very time consuming.
(myhealth.alberta.ca, n.d.)
The justification for using a CT coronary angiogram in diagnosing coronary heart disease is that
it offers detailed, non-invasive imaging of the coronary arteries, enabling clinicians to accurately
detect and locate plaque buildup or arterial blockages. This is vital for determining the severity
of CHD and guiding appropriate treatment plans, such as medication management or the need
for further intervention. For patients, CT coronary angiography is often preferred over invasive
procedures like conventional angiograms because it does not require catheter insertion,
1
, shabina
reducing risks and discomfort. Despite the time it takes, the high-resolution images and safer
nature of this test make it an important and effective diagnostic tool (National Health Service
[NHS], 2023).
Comparing diagnostic procedures
Both CT coronary angiography and blood tests are used to help diagnose coronary heart
disease, but they are done in different ways and by different professionals. A CT coronary
angiogram is usually carried out by a radiologist or a cardiologist in a hospital, such as the
Northern General Hospital (NHS, 2023). It uses a special type of X-ray to create clear images of
the heart and coronary arteries, which helps to show if there are any blockages or narrowing.
This makes it really useful for spotting how serious the condition is. In comparison, a blood test
is much more accessible. It can be done at a local GP surgery or in a hospital like the Royal
Hallamshire and is usually carried out by a nurse or a phlebotomist (Whitney Firm, 2016). Blood
tests check for high cholesterol or fat levels in the blood, which are risk factors for coronary
heart disease, but they do not show the actual condition of the arteries (British Heart
Foundation, 2022). Blood tests are quicker and cheaper to do, so they are often used first to
spot people who might be at risk. However, blood tests are invasive, and some patients may not
want to go through with it as they may have a fear of needles. Also CT angiograms are normally
used later on when a patient is showing symptoms or when doctors need a clearer view of the
heart. Both tests are useful in different ways. Blood tests are good for early risk detection and
prevention, while CT angiograms help confirm a diagnosis and guide further treatment (NHS,
2023).
Investigative procedures for CHD
An investigative procedure which can be done for CHD is checking blood pressure which can be
done at the individuals local gp surgery. Checking blood pressure is an important part of
diagnosing coronary heart disease because it helps doctors spot hypertension which is one of
the main risk factors for CHD. The test is non invasive, painless, and can be done quickly at a GP
surgery or even at home, which makes it really easy for patients to access (NHS, 2023). If
someone has high blood pressure, it could mean that their heart is working harder than it
should, which might be because the arteries have become narrow or stiff due to a build-up of
fatty deposits. This can be a sign that the person is at risk of coronary heart disease (British
Heart Foundation, 2022). Although this test does not directly show if a person has coronary
heart disease, it gives professionals useful information for them to do further tests like an ECG
or a CT angiography to confirm the diagnosis. One limitation of the test is that the results can
sometimes be inaccurate because blood pressure can change depending on stress, caffeine, or
physical activity, which means it might not always give a clear result (Blood Pressure UK, 2021).
2
HSC LAB unit 14
Investigation and diagnosis
Diagnostic procedures for CHD
ne diagnostic procedure which can be carried out for coronary heart disease is having a blood
o
test done. Blood tests can be accessed locally with a Gps referral and done in the royal
Hallamshire hospital. Blood samples allow professionals to check the levels of cholesterol or
fats that in the blood that may increase the risk of developing CHD. The benefits of carrying out
a blood test is that it can show accurate and direct measurements of substances in the blood. A
limitation of this is that it increases the risk of infection and transmission of illnesses in the
blood so everything needs to be highly sterile. It is also an invasive procedure which involves
puncturing the skin with a needle, so the patient may feel uncomfortable with this and refuse
to go through with it. Also, if the skin is not punctured properly, the needle could go straight
through the vein causing extensive bruising. (whitney firm, 2016)
the justification for carrying out a blood test to diagnose coronary heart disease is that it
provides accurate and direct information about cholesterol and fat levels in the blood, which are
key risk factors for the condition. This information is highly important for healthcare
professionals because it helps them assess the patient’s risk of developing CHD and make
informed decisions about treatment and prevention. For patients, a blood test is often a better
option compared to more invasive or complex procedures because it is relatively quick, and
widely accessible. The benefits of the test is that its able to deliver reliable results, allowing
diagnosis, monitor disease progression, and evaluate the effectiveness of treatments,
ultimately improving patient care and outcomes (Whitney Firm, 2016).
Another diagnostic procedure is having a CT coronary angiogram. This procedure can be done
by any radiologist or cardiologist and can be accessed in the Northern general hospital. This
procedure can reveal the location of the plaque build up, allowing the specialists to identify the
blockages in the arteries and how serious it may be. A benefit of this procedure is that it is a
less invasive procedure compared to the regular angiogram as there is no tubes being inserted
into the blood vessels. However, this procedure can be very time consuming.
(myhealth.alberta.ca, n.d.)
The justification for using a CT coronary angiogram in diagnosing coronary heart disease is that
it offers detailed, non-invasive imaging of the coronary arteries, enabling clinicians to accurately
detect and locate plaque buildup or arterial blockages. This is vital for determining the severity
of CHD and guiding appropriate treatment plans, such as medication management or the need
for further intervention. For patients, CT coronary angiography is often preferred over invasive
procedures like conventional angiograms because it does not require catheter insertion,
1
, shabina
reducing risks and discomfort. Despite the time it takes, the high-resolution images and safer
nature of this test make it an important and effective diagnostic tool (National Health Service
[NHS], 2023).
Comparing diagnostic procedures
Both CT coronary angiography and blood tests are used to help diagnose coronary heart
disease, but they are done in different ways and by different professionals. A CT coronary
angiogram is usually carried out by a radiologist or a cardiologist in a hospital, such as the
Northern General Hospital (NHS, 2023). It uses a special type of X-ray to create clear images of
the heart and coronary arteries, which helps to show if there are any blockages or narrowing.
This makes it really useful for spotting how serious the condition is. In comparison, a blood test
is much more accessible. It can be done at a local GP surgery or in a hospital like the Royal
Hallamshire and is usually carried out by a nurse or a phlebotomist (Whitney Firm, 2016). Blood
tests check for high cholesterol or fat levels in the blood, which are risk factors for coronary
heart disease, but they do not show the actual condition of the arteries (British Heart
Foundation, 2022). Blood tests are quicker and cheaper to do, so they are often used first to
spot people who might be at risk. However, blood tests are invasive, and some patients may not
want to go through with it as they may have a fear of needles. Also CT angiograms are normally
used later on when a patient is showing symptoms or when doctors need a clearer view of the
heart. Both tests are useful in different ways. Blood tests are good for early risk detection and
prevention, while CT angiograms help confirm a diagnosis and guide further treatment (NHS,
2023).
Investigative procedures for CHD
An investigative procedure which can be done for CHD is checking blood pressure which can be
done at the individuals local gp surgery. Checking blood pressure is an important part of
diagnosing coronary heart disease because it helps doctors spot hypertension which is one of
the main risk factors for CHD. The test is non invasive, painless, and can be done quickly at a GP
surgery or even at home, which makes it really easy for patients to access (NHS, 2023). If
someone has high blood pressure, it could mean that their heart is working harder than it
should, which might be because the arteries have become narrow or stiff due to a build-up of
fatty deposits. This can be a sign that the person is at risk of coronary heart disease (British
Heart Foundation, 2022). Although this test does not directly show if a person has coronary
heart disease, it gives professionals useful information for them to do further tests like an ECG
or a CT angiography to confirm the diagnosis. One limitation of the test is that the results can
sometimes be inaccurate because blood pressure can change depending on stress, caffeine, or
physical activity, which means it might not always give a clear result (Blood Pressure UK, 2021).
2
