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How often do you check your aorta?


3NUMBAS

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7 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

A clinic in Chiang Rai will do an EKG on my aorta for 3500 baht. It checks for abnormalities.

 

The gold standard for checking an aorta is a CAT scan with contrast. I don't know what that costs here.

 

The average diameter of an aorta is 35 - 40 mm. Mine is 53 mm.

 

If it gets to 60 mm, I will need surgery with a stent installed.

EKG??

I had this done 2 weeks ago at a doctor clinic 

Isn't that where they put the stick wires on your chest ?

Didn't seem to do much except give my heartbeat ?

 

I then had a Echocardiography which also apparently can't see with this test that you have blocked arteries all they found was mild water with the heart pericarditis which was trivial 

 

I think it's not a EkG you mean ,that's where they put the stick button on 

 

Edited by georgegeorgia
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1 minute ago, georgegeorgia said:

EKG??

I had this done 2 weeks ago at a doctor clinic 

Isn't that where they put the stick wires on your chest ?

Didn't seem to do much except give my heartbeat ?

 

I then had a Echocardiography which also apparently can't see with this test that you have blocked arteries 

 

I think it's not a EkG you mean 

 

An EKG differs from an ECG in the probes used.

 

The ECG consists of sticker pads attached to various locations of the chest.

 

The EKG has some sticker pads too, but a moving stainless steel probe is used in combination with sterile gel to record the heart beat from various angles.

 

AFAIK the ECG did not detect my enlarged aorta. The EKG did, and I was sent for a CAT scan to confirm the EKG diagnosis.

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8 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

I would have thought that a Narrower aorta would be more dangerous

An enlarged aorta means the walls are thinner, therefore more risk of aneurysm.

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6 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

EKG??

I had this done 2 weeks ago at a doctor clinic 

Isn't that where they put the stick wires on your chest ?

Didn't seem to do much except give my heartbeat ?

 

I then had a Echocardiography which also apparently can't see with this test that you have blocked arteries 

 

I think it's not a EkG you mean 

 

I think it is EKG in Europe and ECG in UK, Kardio as opposed to Cardio, and as  you say quite different to an "Echo".

When i registered at Bang Saen, first thing they wanted to do was an Echo, looking for leaky valves but all ok. Think it was about 5K, something like 8/9  years ago.

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28 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

An EKG differs from an ECG in the probes used.

 

The ECG consists of sticker pads attached to various locations of the chest.

 

The EKG has some sticker pads too, but a moving stainless steel probe is used in combination with sterile gel to record the heart beat from various angles.

 

AFAIK the ECG did not detect my enlarged aorta. The EKG did, and I was sent for a CAT scan to confirm the EKG diagnosis.

 

ECG and EKG are same thing.

 

I think what you are describing was an echocardiogram which can certainly detect  an enlarged aortic arch.

 

Additionally, abdominal ultrasounds can detect abdominal aortic aneurysms. 

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1 minute ago, Sheryl said:

 

ECG and EKG are same thing.

 

I think what you are describing was an echocardiogram which can certainly detect  an enlarged aortic arch.

 

Additionally, abdominal ultrasounds can detect abdominal aortic aneurysms. 

The cardiology clinic I go to in Chiang Rai lists an ECG at 3000 baht, and an EKG at 3500 baht.

 

If they are the same thing, why the price difference?

 

The second procedure I had AFAIK involved ultrasound, the first did not.

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2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

The cardiology clinic I go to in Chiang Rai lists an ECG at 3000 baht, and an EKG at 3500 baht.

 

If they are the same thing, why the price difference?

 

The second procedure I had AFAIK involved ultrasound, the first did not.

Then they are using these terms in a different way than commonly understood, or just an error in the price list terminology.

 

Your second procedure was an echocardiogram. I have no idea why they would abbreviate that as EKG.

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13 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Then they are using these terms in a different way than commonly understood, or just an error in the price list terminology.

 

Your second procedure was an echocardiogram. I have no idea why they would abbreviate that as EKG.

I will be asking the cardiologist. I assume I need the procedure which includes ultrasound when I have a check next month.

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On 9/5/2024 at 7:53 PM, 3NUMBAS said:

If it blows not much chance of recovery even if you get to hospital quickly,,last check was 20 years ago so wondering if another check is in order .

Is there any reason why you want to do that? 

Normally not necessary.

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I've had a couple of echocardiograms in the UK, one using air pumped in via a vein as contrast which showed a PFO which caused the Bends while scuba diving. The non air echocardiogram showed nothing. 1 in 4 people have PFOs. Dangerous to scuba dive with a PFO.

 

It was a metal probe, gel viewed via a monitor as the heart was pumping. I can't recall any pads attached so doubt there was any

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1 hour ago, fittobethaied said:

I undergo an upper/lower abdominal ultrasound every year at a price of 1600 Baht at The Army Hospital in Udon Thani, and they specifically look at the measurements of the aorta and note them on the report. 

My aorta aneurysm was first detected at a routine full health check at Thainakiran Hospital in BKK using ultra sound in 2018. It was monitored annually (ultrasound) and the this year a CT scan as it was reaching danger levels. I had a stent fitted via EVAR surgery (via groin) just recently.Very expensive 

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My wife had an ECG at the Pran Buri Hospital, a government hospital.  These were wired pads.  She will have cataract removal in one eye on the 9th at the Hua Hin Hospital, also a government hospital.  She is 78.  Also, a chest X-ray and a blood test the same day.  The Hua Hin Hospital will charge 6,000 Thai baht for the procedure.

 

Oh, my cardio doctors have said I have a torturous, I mean, a tortured aorta.  They do not seem too bothered by this except for the warning to come back if shortness of breath and/or chest pains.

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On 9/6/2024 at 3:47 PM, KannikaP said:

I would have thought that a Narrower aorta would be more dangerous

Narrower arteries (aorta the largest of the arteries in your body, first one coming out of the heart) equals higher blood pressure - the silent killer.   But I am not a doctor so do not know all the various permutations of symptoms and what they mean.  So get a check-up at a good hospital.

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