About Heart Failure

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Diagnosing Heart Failure
 
Your doctor will ask you questions to complete your
 
medical history and will perform a physical exam.
 
Common diagnostic test for heart failure are 3 :  
  
                                         
Electrocardiogram- to record your heart’s electrical
 
impulses because heart failure can cause changes that
 
are shown on the electrocardiogram.
 
 
Blood tests to find out if you have anemia, kidney or liver
 
problems.
 
 
BNP or brain natriuretic peptide- this is a blood test to
 
measure BNP, a  substance produced by your heart in
 
response to pressure due to excess fluid.
 
 

 

A chest x-ray is routinely ordered to look at the

 

size and shape of your heart.

 

 

 


 
 
Echocardiogram- it is the preferred test to
 
assess your heart function. This test can be
 
done at the bedside and at your doctor’s
 
office. If your doctor orders an
 
echocardiogram find out what is your ejection
 
fraction; this number tells you how well your
 
heart pumps with each beat. 
 

 

 

This page was last modified on Monday, May 04, 2009