Medical Tests & Procedures Archive

For most people, there is no advantage to tests that measure cholesterol and triglyceride particle size.

Comprehensive exams and preventive care are the keys to eye health.

Known as non-obstructive coronary artery disease, this condition can trigger heart attacks down the road.

You just had a cardiac stress test and you passed with flying colors. Does that mean you are free of heart attack risk? Not necessarily, says Dr. Ron Blankstein, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and preventive cardiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

New guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force say that there’s no evidence vitamin D screenings help seemingly healthy people.

Exercise tests may include special scans that evaluate blood flow to your heart.

If you have chest discomfort, shortness of breath, or other symptoms that suggest heart disease, your doctor may recommend a stress test. Plaque buildup in your arteries may be limiting blood flow to your heart, which is more evident when the heart is stressed. In many cases, exercise provides the "stress"—you walk or run on a treadmill or pedal a stationary bike. If you're unable to exercise, a pharmacologic stress test (see box) is a good alternative.