Which Heart Screening Is Right for Me?

When you want answers about your heart and vascular health, there are plenty of options. But which one is right for you and your health? Here are some of the most common tests and screenings we offer at Community Health Network, and how to tell if you’re a good fit for each one.

Heart Health Risk Assessment

If you’re looking for a good place to start, try taking our free heart health risk assessment. It’s a quick and easy way to get answers about your heart health right from home. You’ll answer a few questions about your health history, then get a personalized plan to protect your heart health. You’ll also get a list of talking points for your next doctor’s visit.

This may be the screening for you if:

• You’re curious how your lifestyle might affect your heart health
• You want to get answers right now

Take the Heart Quiz

Heart Scan

A heart scan is a brief CT scan that shows the amount of calcium in the lining of your coronary arteries. Large amounts of calcium point to large amounts of plaque, which can help predict the likelihood of a heart attack and other cardiovascular events. Heart scans cost $49 and aren’t billed through insurance.

This may be the screening for you if:

• You’re a man over age 40 or a woman over age 50
• You don’t have known heart disease
• You aren’t already seeing a cardiologist

Schedule a Heart Scan

Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) Screening

ABI screenings compare the blood pressure in your ankle with the blood pressure in your arm. They’re a quick, painless and accurate way to make sure your limbs are getting proper blood flow.

This is the screening for you if:

• You’re over the age of 45 and have risk factors for vascular disease
• You have pain or numbness in your legs
• You want early detection of circulation issues in your arms and legs

Schedule an ABI screening here.

Carotid Screening

Your carotid arteries are on either side of your neck. They’re important arteries that bring blood to your head, including your brain. A carotid screening provides ultrasound images of your carotid arteries to check for plaque buildup that could eventually lead to a stroke.

This may be the screening for you if:

• You’re over the age of 45 and have risk factors for vascular disease
• You have a family history of stroke
• You have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes

Schedule a carotid screening here.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Screening

The aorta is the body’s largest artery. It runs from your heart down through your abdomen, and supplies blood to your whole body. An abdominal aortic aneurysm test provides an ultrasound image of the aorta to check for weakened or bulging parts of the artery, which can cause pain and greater risks to your health.

This is the screening for you if:

• You’re over the age of 45 and have risk factors for vascular disease
• You regularly feel deep pain in your abdomen
• You have unexplained back pain

Schedule an AAA screening here.