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HEARThrive - Module 6 - Diagnostic Procedures to Assess Risk

Name: HEARThrive - Module 6 - Diagnostic Procedures to Assess Risk
Rating: 4.6 (5 reviews)

Great Ways To Help Predict and Prevent Heart Disease

Created byMalcolm & Myron Achtman

Last updated 2/2025

English

What you'll learn

• Understand how common heart-related tests and procedures actually work—and what they are designed to measure.
• Learn how to perform simple, powerful self-assessments at home (including waist-to-height ratio, blood pressure, and blood sugar).
• Discover what “optimal” really means for key health markers—and how to track your progress over time.
• Understand the strengths and limitations of advanced diagnostic tests like calcium scoring, stress tests, and vascular imaging.
• Learn how to interpret results more intelligently—so you’re not misled by numbers that seem definitive but aren’t.
• Gain the confidence to have informed, productive conversations with your doctor about testing options.
• Know when testing may be useful—and when it may not add meaningful value.

Course content

4 sections • 25 lectures • 1h 58m total length

Medical Disclaimer0:29
A brief note to say that you should not consider HEARThrive to be medical advice and that you should consult with your doctor or other medical professional regarding your health issues and concerns.
Welcome to Module 60:43
A brief welcome to this module and a reminder to check out “HEARThrive - Revamp and Relaunch Your Health,” a classic way to discover much of what this program has to offer you, including the link to two additional hours of free HEARThrive content on Udemy.
Course Overview for New Students2:50
The HEARThrive program consists of 12 modules (i.e. 12 courses). Each module is divided into 10 sections, which are like the chapters of a book. It's probably best to go through the modules in order, from 1 to 12, but you don't have to. If you wish, select a topic that interests you the most and sign up for that course. The sooner you begin learning, the greater chance you will have of improving your health.

Malcolm's Calcium Scan - Part 13:05
Malcolm reveals that he could actually see his heart disease on a coronary calcium scan.
Malcolm's Calcium Scan - Part 25:25
Malcolm shows 64 X-ray images taken with a calcium scan of his heart . You can see how clearly his heart disease is revealed by using this excellent diagnostic tool.
Comparing My Heart Scans: 2010 vs. 20159:21
This video is somewhat "geeky" so you can skip it unless the topic really interests you. It shows my Calcium Heart Scans from 2010 and 2015 and meticulously compares them to show how reliable the test is.
Little Billy and Johnny3:51
In this story, Malcolm illustrates the seriousness of his heart disease by using an analogy of two children having a water fight using garden hoses.
I Would Be Watching You Like A Hawk4:24
Malcolm's radiologist told him, "I would be watching you like a hawk," after she observed the cardiovascular disease in his 64-clice coronary CT angiogram, done in July 2010. You can learn a lot about your heart disease with this procedure but a simpler coronary calcium score or basic heart scan test can also alert you.
Malcolm's Post Surgery Story - PART 12:37
If surgical images make you squeamish you may want to close your eyes and just listen as Malcolm describes how he looked and felt shortly after undergoing triple bypass open heart surgery.
Malcolm's Post Surgery Story - PART 22:56
After veins (used for bypasses in the heart) were removed from Malcolm's left leg, he describes how it developed lots of bruising. This required treatment with antibiotics.
Malcolm's Post Surgery Story - PART 35:34
There's always a risk of further complications after surgery. Malcolm felt he may have experienced a stroke-like symptom. In addition, the antibiotics and other drugs produced terrible gut discomfort at one point. It's important to remain attentive to post-surgical complications.

Check Your Ear Lobe... Really?0:32
Sounds silly, but a crease in your ear lobe may be associated with increased cardiovascular risk.
Measure Your Waist, Hips & Height5:42
It's easy to take some simple measurements of your body to gain some preliminary insight on whether you are at increased risk for heart disease. Go ahead and try it.
Test Your Own Blood Pressure At Home5:35
It's important to properly check your own blood pressure at home. The attached PDF illustrates some testing that Malcolm did on himself in 2021. Check out what happened when he had his blood pressure tested at the doctor's office on September 29, 2021.
Test Your Own Blood Sugar5:06
You can test your own blood glucose level by using a simple glucose meter and special test strips. Besides testing yourself in the morning (after fasting overnight) you can test again after eating a meal or a certain food to discover how elevated your blood sugar is and how much it changes - depending on what you ate. Valuable lessons for sure.
Track Your Blood Sugar Continuously9:36
If you are able to obtain a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) you will have a powerful diagnostic tool to track how your blood sugar responds to the foods you eat over a 10 - 14 day time period. Minimizing glucose spikes is a worthy goal in your heart health journey. Malcolm gives an excellent detailed demo using a Dexcom G7 CGM.
Consider an Exercise Stress Test6:45
One of the first things a cardiologist might try is a exercise stress test. It's a preliminary way to predict whether you might have heart disease even if you aren't even having any symptoms yet. But it's not necessarily reliable, as you will see in this video.
Ask Questions About a CAC Heart Scan13:54
Listen as I advise my friend to ask important questions when considering a CAC (Coronary Artery Calcification) Scan, otherwise known as a Heart Scan.
Consider a CIMT Test7:22
A CIMT test is an ultrasound of your carotid arteries (in your neck). It's an easy test that takes just a few minutes and there's no radiation. If they find plaque or thickening here this might suggest you have a greater likelihood cardiovascular disease.
Investigate External Counterpulsation Therapy3:54
Here's a special procedure that might be your best bet in certain instances to improve your cardiovascular problems. It's worth knowing about, just in case.
Donate Blood to Lower Your Heart Disease Risk8:17
Some studies suggest that you can lower your risk of a heart attack by donating blood periodically. But there's a catch. If you have already discovered that you have heart disease, you might not be allowed to donate blood. Watch this video to find out why.
Try the Q-Risk Calculator7:21
By plugging in some basic information such as your age, height, weight, blood pressure and cholesterol values you can obtain your 10-year risk of suffering a cardiac event. Give it a try.

Requirements

There are no prerequisites for taking this course but if you have already watched some other modules in HEARThrive that could help you get more out of this course.

Description

If you could find out where you truly stand with your heart health…
would you want to know?

For many people, the answer is yes.

But once you step into the world of heart-related testing…
things can quickly become confusing.

There are simple measurements you can do yourself at home—
like waist-to-height ratio, blood pressure, and blood sugar.

And then there are more advanced procedures—
like stress tests, calcium scans, and vascular imaging.

These tests promise answers.

But what do they actually tell you?

And just as importantly…

what do they not tell you?

In this module, you’ll learn how to navigate both simple and advanced procedures with clarity and confidence.

You’ll discover how to measure key indicators of your metabolic and cardiovascular health from the comfort of your own home—using straightforward, practical methods.

You’ll also gain a clear understanding of advanced diagnostic tests so you can have more informed, productive conversations with your doctor or cardiologist.

This course is not about blindly pursuing tests.

And it’s not about avoiding them either.

It’s about understanding how to use them wisely.

Because when you understand what these procedures mean…

You can:

Take meaningful action sooner
Track your progress over time
Avoid unnecessary worry or confusion
And make decisions from a position of knowledge—not fear

If you’re someone who wants to be proactive about your heart health…

If you prefer prevention over uncertainty…

If you want clarity—not just numbers…

This module will give you the tools to move forward with confidence.

Who this course is for:

This course will appeal to men and women who want to take an active role in reducing their risk of getting heart disease. If you have some fears and doubts about your cardiovascular health and sometimes worry about the scary consequences of suffering a heart attack or stroke, this course will help you take personal ownership of your health. There are advanced tests that can tell you whether you already have heart disease and gauge your risk of a possible future event. Some people would rather not know. But this course is for those who want to know their status and are willing to make changes in their life to lower their future risk.

HEARThrive - Module 6 - Diagnostic Procedures to Assess Risk

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction3 lectures • 4min

Humor or Thought3 lectures • 3min

Stories From the Heart8 lectures • 37min

Step-By-Step What To Do11 lectures • 1hr 14min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: