When fatty plaque builds up in your arteries, they become narrow. That reduces blood flow to your heart, brain and other organs, but is also a potential setup for heart attack or stroke.
Because of these dangers, the American College of Cardiology has long recommended that doctors use assessment tools such as the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk score, a newer one called PREVENT and symptom checkers to calculate a person’s cardiovascular risk.
But a recent study assessed those tools and found concerning news…
Mount Sinai researchers showed the current heart attack screening tools are not optimal — and they fail to identify half the people who are at risk for heart attack.
In patients who had their first heart attack, had they been evaluated two days prior to to the event, nearly half of them would have been labeled as low or borderline risk and not recommended for special care or preventive therapy.
In other words, they would have been cleared of imminent danger because the ASCVD, Prevent and symptom assessments weren’t enough to see what was coming just a few days later.
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While the medical community grapples with how to enhance early detection and prevention, there are a few things you can do at home to help…
And although these practices don’t replace regular checkups or visits with specialists, they can help detect early changes, the possibility of plaque buildup and the condition of your arteries…
#1 – Regular blood pressure monitoring
When it comes to high blood pressure and arterial plaques, you might think it’s one of those ‘chicken and the egg’ situations and wonder which came first.
But the truth is, hypertension is both a cause and a consequence of fatty build-up in your arteries.
High blood pressure increases artery plaque. And when plaques are narrowing your arteries, your blood pressure goes up because your heart has to pump harder to push blood through those narrow spaces.
Because of this, consistent high blood pressure (above 120/80 mmHg) is a good indication that your arteries may have become stiff and clogged.
See your doctor regularly so they can monitor it, but when you take it at home regularly, you can also communicate any changes or concerns with them.
#2 – Pulse checks
A normal heart rate at rest should be between 60 and 100 beats per minute. However, if arterial plaque is present, your heart rate can be thrown off, leading to irregular and skipped beats, palpitations and abnormal heart rate patterns.
Smartwatches can monitor your pulse and send alerts when they detect heart rate abnormalities.
To check your heart rate manually, place the tips of your index and middle fingers on the inside of your wrist below the base of your thumb, or on your neck just beside where your Adam’s apple would be. Press lightly until you feel the pulse, and then count the beats for 30 seconds and multiply by 2 to get your heart rate in beats per minute.
Like with your blood pressure, be sure to check your pulse daily as a consistently abnormal heart rhythm (too fast, too slow or missed beats) can indicate a problem with the health of your blood vessels and heart.
#3 – Stair climbing
When your arteries are healthy, it’s easier to stay active.
To check their status, time how long it takes you to climb four flights of stairs (approximately 60 steps).
If your blood vessels and heart are fit, you should be able to make the climb in 90 seconds or less, without issues like chest tightness or discomfort, dizziness or difficulty breathing.
However, if you’re unable to make the climb or experience any of those symptoms, see your doctor for further testing for plaque buildup in your arteries.
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#4 – ABI blood pressure
Beyond traditional blood pressure monitoring, which just looks at pressure in your arm, is the ABI test.
This test measures pressure levels in both your arm and your ankle, which can help determine whether plaque has built up in arteries outside your heart (a condition known as peripheral artery disease, or PAD).
To perform the test, use a standard blood pressure cuff – the kind that wraps around your upper arm – plus a stethoscope. Take your blood pressure in your upper arm and then your ankle. Then divide your ankle pressure by your arm pressure reading.
ABI results:
- A normal ABI is approximately 1.0 and 1.4.
- ABI below 0.9 may indicate plaque buildup or blockage of arteries.
- ABI above 1.4 can be due to arterial hardening.
The ABI test is especially useful for screening for plaque buildup in your leg blood vessels. However, it can also offer valuable insights into the health of the arteries throughout your body.
#5 – Home EKG/ECG monitoring
You can also purchase a home electrocardiogram (EKG/ECG) monitor from retailers like Amazon to keep track of your heart rhythm. They’re available for $69 to $99 and are a simple way to monitor your heart’s electrical signal and detect abnormal rhythms that could signal plaque buildup.
Your doctor can interpret your EKG/ECG results to decide if further testing is necessary.
#6 – Journaling symptoms
Finally, the easiest way to check for arterial blockages at home is to keep a journal of any cardiac symptoms you may experience. These include problems ranging from dizziness and chest pain to shortness of breath and unusual sweating.
Symptoms such as these can be a warning sign of advanced levels of arterial plaques that can damage heart function.
Sources:
Heart health: 5 ways to check for arterial plaque at home — Times of India
Can we reduce plaque buildup in arteries? — Harvard Health Publishing
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