Health encyclopaedia

Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List

Diagnosis of Heart failure

In chronic heart failure, initial diagnosis will be based on medical history and symptoms (see Symptoms section). A number of tests may be performed to investigate possible causes of heart failure and to find out how badly damaged the heart is. They include:

• Blood tests to check blood counts, thyroid function and liver function. 
• Urinalysis (urine tests) 
• Peak flow or spirometry (breathing tests).

Scans are often carried out for both chronic and acute heart failure:

• Electrocardiogram – checks whether heart rhythms are normal, whether heart muscles have thickened, and whether the person has had a heart attack;
• Echocardiogram – used to assess the pumping ability of the heart and function of the heart valves;
• Chest x-ray – shows whether the heart is enlarged and if fluid has accumulated in the lungs;
• Coronary angiography – looks for blockages in the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart muscle.

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