How to Order a Stress Echo, With No Cardio History Problems

[2islandboy]

Hi, I am 74,I have a Thoracic Aortic Anyeurism, stable at 4.3cm, which was found by accident with a "routine" physical. I am very fit and have no history of cardiac issues. However, my doctor is very thorough. I have therefore made many changes to my life, including weight loss, BP meds, and exercise. Any suggestions on what my 65-year-old girlfriend can say to her doctor to get the doctor to be willing to order an Echo (preferably stress), as a baseline to determine the health of her heart? She is slim, fit, eats very well, and has no family heart issues. My non-necessary Stress Echo saved my life! Thanks

[Alison_L]

I’ve no idea what the position is in the US. Here in the UK, we’d have to go private and pay, as a GP wouldn’t order an echo unless they thought there was a problem.

[sandandkev]

You can't unless go private,if she is fit and healthy then great no worries,you could get a kardia which traces your heart rhythm!

[Sb1171]

The echo that was done in the hospital after my HA showed ejection fraction at the lower end of normal. I had a hard time convincing my GP to order a follow up to see if it had improved or not (because regardless of whether it had or not, it would not change my treatment so was arguably clinically unnecessary). Convincing a GP to order checks just in case will probably be quite hard. That said, there are private options that offer all sorts of cardiac “MOTs” and this can include an echo for about £300. This might be a price worth paying for peace of mind?

[fishonabike]

as services can not currently keep up with urgent requests for services anyone who wants access to tests while in apparently good health is advised to do so privately

while it would make sense for the NHS to provide preventative services and health promoting monitoring it can't because of the demands made by people in need of more urgent support

[2islandboy]

Thank you for all of your kind replys. I thought that it would be difficult to confince a GP to order an Echo. Maybe she will get lucky. We are in the US (or what's left of it), so we don't have to negotiate the NHS, but US insurance companies can be a nightmare. Healthcare in the US without insurance makes the NHS look very appealing.