“Prevention is better than Cure”.
At Bethesda Medical Centre our focus is on Primary Prevention. Early medical interventions improve your chance against common heart diseases. However if you do experience chest pain or shortness of breath, please consult your physician or get medical attention immediately.
High Cholesterol
Elevated cholesterol levels are known to contribute to plaque build-up or atherosclerosis. Our basic Lipid Screening involves measurement of Low Density Lipoprotein (bad cholesterol), High Density Lipoprotein (good cholesterol), Triglycerides, Total Cholesterol and TC/HDL ratio.
Diabetes/High Blood Glucose
Fasting glucose level, HBA1C measurement, and OGTT (Oral glucose tolerance test) are some of the tests we conduct for basic diabetes screening. Early detection and management can prevent progressing to Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Early management with diet, lifestyle measures +/- medication can retard or prevent progression to insulin dependency.
Hypertension
Blood pressure is the force on the blood vessels and heart by the blood flow. The two components commonly measured are: systolic pressure (the higher reading), which is the maximum pressure in the arteries when the heart is pumping; and diastolic pressure (the lower reading) which is the pressure when the heart is relaxing in between contractions. Hypertension is defined as a blood pressure consistently exceeding 140/90mmHg. Hypertension is commonly acknowledged as the ‘silent killer’ because it does not always produce symptoms. It is also one of the common condition that causes damages to different organs. High blood pressure if left uncontrolled can lead to potentially serious complications like heart attack, stroke, blindness and chronic kidney failure.
Stroke
Stroke is a major cause of death or disability in Singapore. Stroke occurs when blood supply to part of the brain is reduced or interrupted, causing the brain tissue to be deprived of oxygen and nutrients.
Obesity
Being overweight will increase your risk of cardiovascular diseases. Please discuss with your staff regarding measurement of your body mass index (BMI). Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight.
High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP)
C-reactive protein is a protein substance present in the blood in response to injury or infection. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is more sensitive compared to a standard test and can be used to evaluate the risk of developing coronary artery disease. High levels may be associated with increased risk for heart attacks and/or stroke.
Resting 12-lead Electrocardiography (ECG)
Resting ECG is a non-invasive test that is useful in detecting cardiac abnormalities such as arrhythmias, heart blockages (bundle branch blocks), coronary artery disease, left and right heart enlargement (hypertrophy). It is also useful in pre-exercise assessment.
