Cardiovascular Assessment Visit

Department of Kinesiology and Health Education

Location:

Cardiovascular Aging Research Laboratory 
Bellmont Hall | Suite 842
2109 San Jacinto Blvd., Austin, TX 78712


Before the Visit: Fast for at least 8 hours (no food and no beverages except water), and avoid exercise and consumption of caffeine and alcohol for 24 hours prior. Please read and fill out the paperwork that we mail to you prior to this visit and bring them with you. If you have not completed the paperwork, please arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time.

Duration: 2 hours

During the Visit:

  • A 15 ml (about 1 Tablespoon) blood sample will be taken after an 8-hour fast to get information on your cholesterol, lipids, blood sugar levels, insulin levels, and markers of inflammation, and exposure to certain viruses. Approximately 3 ml (about 1 teaspoon) of your saliva will be collected to test for the presence of certain genes. If you agree to allow a small portion of this blood and/or saliva sample to be de-identified and stored for future genetic analyses, you will be asked to sign a separate consent form giving this permission. Participation in the genetic analysis portion of the study is optional.
  • Your heart rate and blood pressure will be measured non-invasively by the cuff technique (as in your doctor’s office).
  • Your waist and hip circumference will be measured with a tape measure.
  • Your body weight and height will be measured with a beam balance scale for the purpose of calculating your body mass index (BMI).
  • Hardening of your arteries will be measured non-invasively by using ultrasound. An ultrasound probe is the same instrument that is used in a hospital to check a baby’s development during pregnancy.
  • Your body fat percentage will be measured non-invasively by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). This procedure involves lying down for approximately five minutes on a padded table while a small arm emits X-ray in order to measure tissue density. There is a small amount of radiation (less than 1/20 of a chest X-ray) associated with this procedure. DEXA will be performed by personnel who have been properly trained by the manufacturer’s representative and a licensed medical physicist.
  • Three-day dietary record will be explained and discussed for you to complete at home in order to control for the effect your diet has on the study’s measurements. We will ask you to keep a record of all the food you eat for three days. We will provide you with a diet record that you can complete on paper or electronically.
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