Basic Heart Care, in Kolkata

Fasting and dietary instructions:

Fast for 8 to 12 hours before the test. Water is allowed and encouraged , drink 2 to 3 glasses before leaving home. Avoid tea, coffee, juice, food, alcohol, and supplements during the fasting window.

Medication guidance:

Do not stop statin medication before a lipid panel. The test measures your on-treatment values, which is the clinically relevant result for monitoring effectiveness.

What to bring:

Bring your doctor's prescription or test requisition, a valid photo ID, and your corporate health insurance card if using cashless OPD. Wear short sleeves or clothing with sleeves that roll up easily.

Timing:

Book the earliest available morning slot. For fasting tests, an overnight fast followed by a morning draw represents the optimal balance between adequate fasting duration and test accuracy.

Lipid profile (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides), fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)

When does a doctor order Basic Heart Care?

Routine Basic Heart Care testing is recommended for all adults above 35 in India's major cities, where early-onset coronary artery disease is significantly more common than in Western populations. For patients on statins, it monitors treatment effectiveness every 6 months.

Who should get Basic Heart Care done in Kolkata?

Hypertension and early coronary disease have risen significantly among Kolkata's urban adults. A high-sodium Bengali diet, sedentary work concentrated in Salt Lake, New Town, and the EM Bypass corridor, and urban stress all elevate cardiac risk for working adults aged 35 to 55. Basic Heart Care is a commonly ordered panel that groups lipid tests and blood sugar checks to screen heart disease risk. Doctors may order it when a person has chest discomfort, shortness of breath, extra weight, or risk factors like high blood pressure. Adults above 35 in Kolkata , particularly those working in Garia, Jadavpur, and other urban centres , should have cardiac markers tested annually even without symptoms. Smokers, people with high blood pressure, a sedentary desk job, BMI above 25, or a first-degree relative with a heart attack before 60 face elevated risk that annual testing actively manages.

What conditions can Basic Heart Care help diagnose?

An elevated LDL with low HDL indicates dyslipidaemia , the primary driver of coronary artery disease. Elevated triglycerides above 500 mg/dL require specific treatment. Troponin above the 99th percentile indicates myocardial injury. High-sensitivity CRP above 2 mg/L indicates vascular inflammation that independently increases cardiac risk beyond what lipids alone predict.

What do Basic Heart Care results mean?

LDL above 130 mg/dL: elevated risk , your cardiologist will advise dietary changes or statin therapy based on your overall risk score. LDL above 190 mg/dL may indicate familial hypercholesterolaemia. HDL below 40 mg/dL (men) or 50 mg/dL (women): reduced protection. Triglycerides above 200 mg/dL: diet, alcohol, or diabetes-related. Troponin above the 99th percentile: heart muscle injury , may signal a heart attack, especially if rising on serial testing.

How often should Basic Heart Care be repeated?

Low-risk adults with a normal lipid profile: annually. Patients on statin therapy: every 6 months to confirm LDL is meeting the treatment target. Post-cardiac event patients: every 3 to 6 months as directed by their cardiologist. Patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia: every 3 months until stable on treatment.

What happens after Basic Heart Care results are ready?

Book a follow-up consultation after reviewing your results. GetVisit stores your reports alongside your previous test history, so your doctor sees your full health trend , not just today's snapshot. This longitudinal context significantly improves the clinical value of each repeat test.