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- What is Keshan's disease?
- Symptoms of Keshan's disease
- Causes of Keshan's disease
- Prevention of Keshan's disease
- Risk factors for Keshan's disease
- Complications of Keshan's disease
- When to see a doctor about Keshan's disease
- Diagnosis of Keshan's disease
- Conventional treatment of Keshan's disease
- Alternative/complementary treatment of Keshan's disease
- Living with Keshan's disease
- Caring for someone with Keshan's disease
Keshan's disease is initially diagnosed through the following methods:
- Medical history - the doctor will ask a series of questions about the severity and duration of symptoms, your diet, when they started and how often they occur
- Physical examination - a doctor will examine the person with suspected Keshan's disease to see if an obvious cause can be determined through the physical examination, especially of the heart
- Blood test - a blood test will be requested to measure levels of selenium and other functions
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If the initial diagnosis is not conclusive, or if the symptoms are affecting the heart, the following further tests will be requested:
- Echocardiogram - a special ultrasound machine called an echocardiogram is used in a similar way as a regular ultrasound machine. A special rod (covered in some gel to help it roll over the chest area) is used to get a picture of the heart - the atria, ventricles and other parts - to determine if there are any structural problems of the heart, including blockages, that may be causing the arrhythmia
- Resting ECG - this ECG test is usually performed when a person is resting and lasts only a few minutes. A number of attachments from an ECG machine are put on various parts of the body to do a quick, preliminary test of the electrical activity of the heart
- Holter ECG monitor - a special ECG monitor which has electrical leads that are attached (glued) to various parts of the body is worn under clothing for 24 hours to record heart rhythm while a person just goes about their normal daily acclivities. The person also needs to record their activities of the day. This is one of the best ways to determine the cause of arrhythmia as it gives a very good indication on any triggers of the arrhythmia
- Stress ECG - an ECG machine is used to determine the heart's activity during exercise (usually while a person is on a tread mill or exercise bike). A set of leads are attached to certain part of the body and the person is required to run on a treadmill (or ride an exercise bike) for a specified amount of time to increase heart rate by putting pressure on it through exercise, to determine if there are any problems with the heart and if these problems can be viewed on the electrical activity of the heart on the ECG
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< 7: when to see a doctor 9: conventional treatment > Last reviewed: 29 January 2009 || Last updated: 29 December 2009
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NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
