Exams and Tests

Heart failure is a complex problem. So you will likely have several different tests over time. These tests can:

• Find out if you have heart failure.
• Find the cause of your heart failure.
• Find the type of heart failure you have.
• Show how bad your heart failure is (class and stage).
• See how well your treatment is working.

If you have symptoms that suggest heart failure, you may have:

• A review of your medical history and a physical exam.
• Lab tests.
• Electrocardiogram (EKG, ECG) and stress tests.
• Chest X-ray.
• Echocardiogram (echo).
• Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP).
• Cardiac catheterization.

An echocardiogram is the best and simplest way to diagnose heart failure. It also can help guide treatment.

Sometimes, because of a person's weight, breast size, or severe lung disease, an echocardiogram might not be accurate. If that happens, a cardiac blood pool scan may be done instead. It checks how well the left ventricle is pumping. But it's not as good at finding heart valve disease and a thick heart muscle.

Tests also may be done to find areas of the heart that are not getting enough blood. These tests include:

• Cardiac perfusion scan. This test can show poor blood flow to the heart.
• Cardiac catheterization. This test can be used to check for blocked or narrowed heart arteries and to measure pressures inside the heart.