Cardiovascular diseases

Basic internal examination

A careful medical history and clinical examination (status) is the basis for a meaningful clinical clarification of cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular risk factors (smoking, blood lipids, blood sugar, blood pressure, eating habits, stress) are asked about or measured. Any medication taken, previous illnesses and illnesses in the family are recorded.

A comprehensive laboratory chemistry including fasting lipid profile and long-term glucose (HbA1c) should be available for a baseline examination.

Procedure of a basic internal examination:

Please contact JUVENIS by phone at +43 1 236 3020by e-mail to empfang@juvenismed.at or via the contact formto make an appointment for a consultation or treatment.

Examinations in connection with cardiovascular diseases

At JUVENIS, we advise and treat you for all cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors:

Who should have a cardiovascular check-up and when?

Healthy people who are clinically symptom-free seem to benefit the most: men from the age of 40, women from the age of 50 or after the onset of the menopause. Especially if someone in the family has already suffered a heart attack or stroke, or if you yourself suffer from high blood pressure, high blood lipids, diabetes mellitus or obesity, particularly if you are exposed to chronic active or passive nicotine exposure.

Patients should come immediately for a cardiovascular assessment with:

1. cardiological symptoms such as shortness of breath, tightness in the chest (angina pectoris), chronic nausea, reduced performance or cardiac arrhythmia (heart stumbling, palpitations),
2. neurological symptoms such as sudden loss of vision or speech (amaurosis, aphasia), loss of consciousness (syncope), arm or leg weakness,
3. for leg pain when walking (claudication)

as these can be the first symptoms of circulatory disorders in the heart and peripheral vessels.

Examination and treatment of cardiovascular diseases

Please contact JUVENIS by phone at +43 1 236 3020by e-mail to empfang@juvenismed.at or via the contact formto make an appointment for a consultation or treatment.

Joint management of your cardiovascular risk factors

The aim of the examination is to assess the individual cardiovascular risk (risk of cardiovascular disease) and to take appropriate measures to prevent the early manifestation of circulatory disorders or to optimally treat an already manifest disease.

The key is to form an alliance with your doctor, understand the link between lifestyle and cardiovascular disease and identify risk factors together. A joint plan that sets achievable and verifiable goals is the key to maintaining good health.

Cardiac echo/cardiac ultrasound/echocardiography

The heart creates the connection between the pulmonary and systemic circulation. It constantly pumps blood through the body and thus ensures that the organs are supplied with oxygen.

The cardiac echo is a painless and side-effect-free examination method and is used to record the activity and functioning of the heart. The cardiac echo allows a statement to be made about the current cardiac situation with regard to:

Ultrasound of the carotid arteries

The four carotid arteries supply the brain with blood. Ultrasound can be used to examine their blood flow in a painless way. This is used for the early detection of blood fat deposits (intima-media thickness), calcification or narrowing of the blood vessels, which can lead to circulatory disorders and, in the worst case, to a stroke.

When is an ultrasound of the carotid arteries useful?

Please contact JUVENIS by phone at +43 1 236 3020by e-mail to empfang@juvenismed.at or via the contact formto make an appointment for a consultation or treatment.

Detection of high blood pressure (hypertension)

If high blood pressure is suspected, serial self-measurement and documentation or 24-hour blood pressure measurement to create a daily RR profile is valuable for diagnosis and treatment to prevent late damage to the heart and blood vessels.

Examination of the leg circulation

In addition to the clinical examination, the current peripheral vascular situation is evaluated by means of oscillography and peripheral arterial pressure measurement to determine the ankle/arm index (ABI).

Examination and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in hospital (angiography, stress ECG, myocardial scan)

If inpatient clarification/treatment is necessary in the event of suspected coronary heart disease (CHD), Prof. Dr. Christoph Kopp will look after you personally, in close cooperation with a group of hand-picked doctors and specialists from all medical disciplines at cooperating private clinics in Vienna.

A typical inpatient assessment for cardiac problems such as chest pain or shortness of breath includes a comprehensive laboratory chemical analysis, resting ECG and blood pressure, a lung X-ray and lung function as well as an orthopaedic-physical examination. Minimally invasive coronary imaging (see cardiac catheterization, see angiography) is recommended for typical complaints and deflection of heart muscle enzymes in the blood.

Cardiac function tests are performed on stable patients with exertional angina:

Exercise ECG (bicycle ergometry) or myocardial scintigraphy (myocardial scan)

These two methods are used for the early functional detection of circulatory disorders of the heart.

During an exercise ECG, cardiac activity is monitored under exercise conditions on a stationary bike while the ECG, heart rate and blood pressure are monitored.

Cardiac or myocardial scintigraphy is a nuclear medicine examination. It is performed on patients with suspected narrowed coronary arteries. It shows which areas of the heart muscle are still sufficiently supplied with blood at rest, but are no longer sufficiently supplied with blood under stress.

Cardiac catheterization, percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography (PTCA)

During a cardiac catheterization, the heart and coronary arteries are examined using a contrast-enhanced X-ray procedure. Access can be via the arm (transradial) or the groin (inguinal). The aim is to rule out or detect narrowing of the coronary arteries. Narrowed coronary arteries can be treated by balloon dilatation (PTCA), usually followed by stent implantation (PCI).

Complex coronary artery diseases (multi-vessel diseases) are presented to the heart team and, in consultation with the patient, undergo endovascular (PCI) or surgical treatment (bypass operation) to improve blood flow.

Responsible for the content of this page: Prof. Dr. med. Christoph Kopp