Common Symptoms of Heart Failure and How It’s Diagnosed
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Blood Work and a Stress Test Can Help Make a Diagnosis
To determine if you have heart failure, a doctor will take your complete medical history and conduct a physical examination.
You may also need some of the following diagnostic procedures:
Blood Test By taking a blood sample, your doctor can have your kidney, liver, and thyroid function checked for indicators of other diseases that affect the heart or are affected by the function of the heart. Your doctor may perform a blood test that checks for a chemical called N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) to help in diagnosing worsening heart failure.
Chest X-Ray A chest X-ray produces images of your internal tissues, bones, and organs so that your doctor can rule out conditions other than heart failure that may explain your symptoms. If you have heart failure, X-ray results may show an enlarged heart and signs of fluid buildup in your lungs.
Echocardiogram An echocardiogram uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart. This test helps your doctor see the shape of your heart and how well it’s pumping. Heart chamber size and function, as well as valve structure, can be detected by an echocardiogram.
An echocardiogram can also distinguish systolic heart failure from diastolic heart failure. Your doctor can look for valve problems, evidence of previous heart attacks, and other heart abnormalities that may be causing heart failure.
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) During an electrocardiogram, wires are taped to your body to create a tracing of your heart’s electrical rhythm. An EKG allows your doctor to diagnose heart rhythm problems and damage to your heart from a previous heart attack that may be the cause of your heart failure.
Stress Test This test is used to measure how your heart and blood vessels respond to exertion. It can help doctors detect if you have significant coronary artery disease and determine how well your body is responding to your heart’s decreased capacity to pump.
There are a few ways to do a stress test:
- Walk on a treadmill or ride a stationary bike while attached to an ECG machine
- Receive a drug intravenously that stimulates the heart in a way similar to exercise
Your doctor may order a nuclear stress test or a stress echocardiogram, which show images of your heart while you’re exercising.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) During a cardiac MRI, you lie on table that slides into a long tubelike machine. The machine creates a strong magnetic field around you. Radio waves are directed at the area of the body to be imaged. An MRI can show your doctor the structure of your heart, if the heart has been damaged from a heart attack, or if the heart has scar tissue.
Coronary Angiogram Also called cardiac catheterization, this test involves the insertion of a small tube, called a catheter, into a blood vessel in the upper thigh or arm. The catheter is guided through the aorta and into the coronary arteries. A dye is injected to make the arteries visible and allow doctors to see if there are any blockages.
Radionuclide Ventriculography or Radionuclide Angiography (MUGA Scan) During this test, radioactive substances called radionuclides are injected into your bloodstream with a shot or through an IV. You are then placed under a gamma camera, which captures images of your heart as it beats.
Additional reporting by Ashley Welch
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