An electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) is a test that checks for problems with the electrical activity of your heart. An EKG translates the heart's electrical activity into line tracings on paper. The spikes and dips in the line tracings are called waves. See a picture of the EKG components and intervals.
The heart is a muscular pump made up of four chambers. The two upper chambers are called atria, and the two lower chambers are called ventricles. A natural electrical system causes the heart muscle to contract and pump blood through the heart to the lungs and the rest of the body. See a picture of the heart and its electrical system.
LUNG FUNCTION TEST
Lung function tests (also called pulmonary function tests, or PFTs) evaluate how well your lungs work. The tests determine how much air your lungs can hold, how quickly you can move air in and out of your lungs, and how well your lungs put oxygen into and remove carbon dioxide from your blood. The tests can diagnose lung diseases, measure the severity of lung problems, and check to see how well treatment for a lung disease is working.
Other tests such as residual volume, gas diffusion tests, body plethysmography, inhalation challenge tests, and exercise stress tests may also be done to determine lung function.
BONE MINERAL DENSITY TEST
A bone mineral density (BMD) test measures the density of minerals (such as calcium) in your bones using a special X-ray, computed tomography (CT) scan, or ultrasound. This information is used to estimate the strength of your bones.
We all lose some bone mass as we age. Bones naturally become thinner (called osteopenia) as you grow older because existing bone is broken down faster than new bone is made. As this occurs, our bones lose calcium, and other minerals and become lighter, less dense, and more porous. This makes the bones weaker and increases the chance that they might break (fracture).
With further bone loss, osteopenia leads to osteoporosis. So the thicker your bones are, the longer it takes to get osteoporosis. Although osteoporosis can occur in men, it is most common in women older than age 65.
BODY MASS COMPOSITION ANALYSIS
Body composition Analysis is the amount of fat vs. lean muscle tissue in the human body. These are commonly expressed as a percentage of a person's total weight. Body weight alone in not a clear indicator of good health because it does not distinguish how many pounds are from fat and how many are from lean body mass. The popularity of body compositions is growing as professionals realize its value in determining health risks. There are many different methods to measuring body composition. One of the most popular and accurate ways is the BIA or Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis. This simple test is available at your local Diet Center.
Just because people appear the same does not mean they are equally healthy. Even though two people can have the same Body Fat Percentage doesn't mean they are at the same health risks. Where body fat is located can place a person at far greater risk for fat-related health conditions such as: cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and even certain types of cancers.
