Heart test list

Cardiac biomarkers are substances that are released into the blood when the heart is damaged or stressed. Measurements of these biomarkers are used to help diagnose acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and cardiac ischemia, conditions associated with insufficient blood flow to the heart. Tests for cardiac biomarkers can also be used to help determine a person’s risk of having these conditions or to help monitor and manage someone with suspected ACS and cardiac ischemia. The root causes of both ACS and cardiac ischemia are usually the buildup of plaque in artery walls and hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). This can result in severe narrowing of the arteries leading to the heart or a sudden blockage of blood flow through these coronary arteries. • Cardiac ischemia is caused when the supply of blood reaching heart tissue is not enough to meet the heart’s needs. When not enough blood gets to the heart, it can cause pain in the chest (angina), shortness of breath, sweating, and other symptoms. Typical angina occurs when the coronary arteries have been gradually narrowed over time. The pain starts when a person is active, making the heart work harder, and is quickly relieved by rest or by drugs that increase blood flow to the heart, such as nitroglycerine. • ACS is caused by rupture of a plaque that results from atherosclerosis. Plaque rupture causes blood clot (thrombus) formation in coronary arteries, which results in a sudden decrease in the amount of blood and oxygen reac...

Tests to Diagnose Heart Problems New tests are always being developed to help understand problems affecting the heart. These include disease, injury, and problems present from birth (congenital). These are just a few of the tests that have been used to diagnose heart and blood vessel disease (cardiovascular). For more information, talk to your cardiologist or other healthcare provider: • Electrocardiogram (ECG). This test records the electrical activity of the heart, shows abnormal rhythms (arrhythmias), and can sometimes detect heart muscle damage. • Stress test. This is also called a treadmill or exercise ECG. This test is done to monitor the heart while you walk on a treadmill or pedal a stationary bike. Your healthcare provider also monitors your breathing and blood pressure. A stress test may be used to detect coronary artery disease, or to determine safe levels of exercise after a heart attack or heart surgery. This test can also be done using special medicines that stress the heart in a similar manner as exercise does. Sometimes a stress test will collect ECG information along with heart ultrasound pictures. This is called an exercise or stress echocardiogram. It's more sensitive and specific than ECG stress testing alone. • Transthoracic echocardiogram (echo or TTE). An echo is a noninvasive test that uses sound waves to evaluate your heart's chambers and valves, and how well it pumps. The echo sound waves create a real time image on the monitor as an ultrasound pr...

You and your healthcare provider can use cardiac risk calculators to gauge how likely you are to develop heart disease. These cardiovascular risk assessments use personal health information to calculate a 10-year and lifelong risk of heart disease. The risk score can help you make lifestyle changes or take medicines to prevent heart disease. A cardiac risk calculator is a screening tool that estimates your risk of future cardiovascular disease. What is a cardiac risk calculator? A cardiac risk calculator is a screening tool. You and your healthcare provider can use it to determine your risk of future cardiovascular disease. The information can help you take steps to reduce your risk. Lifestyle changes or medications may help prevent life-threatening heart problems. What does a cardiac risk calculator (cardiovascular risk assessment) do? A cardiac risk calculator uses your personal health information to gauge your future risk of • • • • • How do healthcare providers use cardiovascular risk assessments? Your healthcare provider uses results from cardiac risk calculators to: • Assess your current heart health. • Gauge your risk of developing problems like • Help you take steps to prevent problems that affect heart health. • Select appropriate treatments to lower your risk of heart problems. • Monitor the effectiveness of treatments. Who shouldn’t use a cardiac risk calculator? Cardiac risk calculators are only helpful if you haven’t already had a heart event. The information ...

If you've had a heart attack, you may have already had certain procedures to help you survive your heart attack and diagnose your condition. For example, many heart attack patients have undergone thrombolysis, a procedure that involves injecting a clot-dissolving agent to restore blood flow in a coronary artery.This procedure is administered within a few (usually three) hours of a heart attack. If this treatment isn't done immediately after a heart attack, many patients will need to undergo coronary angioplasty or coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) later to improve blood supply to the heart muscle. (link opens in new window) . See Heart Procedures and Surgeries Angioplasty Also known as Percutaneous Coronary Interventions [PCI], Balloon Angioplasty and Coronary Artery Balloon Dilation. What the Procedure Does Special tubing with an attached deflated balloon is threaded up to the coronary arteries. The balloon is inflated to widen blocked areas where blood flow to the heart muscle has been reduced or cutoff. Often combined with implantation of a stent (see below)to help prop the artery open and decrease the chance of another blockage. Considered less invasive because the body is not cut open. Lasts from 30 minutes to several hours. May require an overnight hospital stay. Reason for the Procedure • Greatly increases blood flow through the blocked artery. • Decreases • Increases ability for physical activity that has been limited by angina or ischemia. • Can also be ...

During a heart health checkup, your doctor will talk to you about how you’re feeling and offer you screening tests to assess your cardiovascular health and risk factors. Your cardiovascular system includes your heart and blood vessels. As part of the checkup, they’ll look for any signs of heart disease and consider your risk for developing heart disease in the future. For example, risk factors include: • high blood pressure • high blood cholesterol • high blood sugar • overweight and obesity • certain lifestyle habits, like smoking and alcohol use Some heart health screening tests should begin as early as age 20, recommends the Your doctor can help you learn which screenings you should get and how often you should get them. Also let your doctor know right away if you develop signs or symptoms of heart disease. These symptoms may include: • chest pain or discomfort • fluttering in your chest • slow or racing heartbeat • shortness of breath • dizziness • fatigue • swelling in your feet or abdomen Read on to learn about the steps you can take to monitor your heart health. Routine heart health screenings are an important part of preventive healthcare for adults. Starting around age 20, or in some cases earlier, your doctor will likely advise you to get several screening tests on a regular basis. If the results of your screening tests show signs of heart disease or a high risk of developing heart disease, your doctor may order additional tests. Family history can determine when...

Facing a heart condition can be a difficult and sometimes frightening process. As you prepare for a heart test, study or procedure, Cedars-Sinai's doctors and nurses will work to provide you with compassionate care that aims to make you a partner in the healthcare process. The information below is designed to support you and help you prepare for a heart procedure. Cardiac catheterization involves threading a long, thin tube (a catheter) through an artery or vein in your leg or arm and into the heart. Once this has been done, various procedures may be conducted to diagnose or treat coronary artery disease. The catheter may be used to inject dye into the heart and its arteries to assess blood flow (angiography), or to conduct electrophysiological studies that evaluate the electrical conduction system of the heart and any abnormal heartbeats by sending electrical impulses through the catheter. • Do not eat or drink anything for two hours before the test. If you have diabetes, discuss this with your doctor. Not eating can affect your blood sugar and adjustments may need to be made to your insulin dosage. • Discuss any medicines you are taking with your doctor. He or she may want you to stop taking them before the test, especially if you are taking a blood-thinner such as Coumadin® (warfarin) or anti-platelet medicines such as aspirin or Plavix®. It is important to bring a list of your allergies, medicines and dosages to the procedure, so the healthcare team knows exactly what ...

You and your healthcare provider can use cardiac risk calculators to gauge how likely you are to develop heart disease. These cardiovascular risk assessments use personal health information to calculate a 10-year and lifelong risk of heart disease. The risk score can help you make lifestyle changes or take medicines to prevent heart disease. A cardiac risk calculator is a screening tool that estimates your risk of future cardiovascular disease. What is a cardiac risk calculator? A cardiac risk calculator is a screening tool. You and your healthcare provider can use it to determine your risk of future cardiovascular disease. The information can help you take steps to reduce your risk. Lifestyle changes or medications may help prevent life-threatening heart problems. What does a cardiac risk calculator (cardiovascular risk assessment) do? A cardiac risk calculator uses your personal health information to gauge your future risk of • • • • • How do healthcare providers use cardiovascular risk assessments? Your healthcare provider uses results from cardiac risk calculators to: • Assess your current heart health. • Gauge your risk of developing problems like • Help you take steps to prevent problems that affect heart health. • Select appropriate treatments to lower your risk of heart problems. • Monitor the effectiveness of treatments. Who shouldn’t use a cardiac risk calculator? Cardiac risk calculators are only helpful if you haven’t already had a heart event. The information ...

Facing a heart condition can be a difficult and sometimes frightening process. As you prepare for a heart test, study or procedure, Cedars-Sinai's doctors and nurses will work to provide you with compassionate care that aims to make you a partner in the healthcare process. The information below is designed to support you and help you prepare for a heart procedure. Cardiac catheterization involves threading a long, thin tube (a catheter) through an artery or vein in your leg or arm and into the heart. Once this has been done, various procedures may be conducted to diagnose or treat coronary artery disease. The catheter may be used to inject dye into the heart and its arteries to assess blood flow (angiography), or to conduct electrophysiological studies that evaluate the electrical conduction system of the heart and any abnormal heartbeats by sending electrical impulses through the catheter. • Do not eat or drink anything for two hours before the test. If you have diabetes, discuss this with your doctor. Not eating can affect your blood sugar and adjustments may need to be made to your insulin dosage. • Discuss any medicines you are taking with your doctor. He or she may want you to stop taking them before the test, especially if you are taking a blood-thinner such as Coumadin® (warfarin) or anti-platelet medicines such as aspirin or Plavix®. It is important to bring a list of your allergies, medicines and dosages to the procedure, so the healthcare team knows exactly what ...

Tests to Diagnose Heart Problems New tests are always being developed to help understand problems affecting the heart. These include disease, injury, and problems present from birth (congenital). These are just a few of the tests that have been used to diagnose heart and blood vessel disease (cardiovascular). For more information, talk to your cardiologist or other healthcare provider: • Electrocardiogram (ECG). This test records the electrical activity of the heart, shows abnormal rhythms (arrhythmias), and can sometimes detect heart muscle damage. • Stress test. This is also called a treadmill or exercise ECG. This test is done to monitor the heart while you walk on a treadmill or pedal a stationary bike. Your healthcare provider also monitors your breathing and blood pressure. A stress test may be used to detect coronary artery disease, or to determine safe levels of exercise after a heart attack or heart surgery. This test can also be done using special medicines that stress the heart in a similar manner as exercise does. Sometimes a stress test will collect ECG information along with heart ultrasound pictures. This is called an exercise or stress echocardiogram. It's more sensitive and specific than ECG stress testing alone. • Transthoracic echocardiogram (echo or TTE). An echo is a noninvasive test that uses sound waves to evaluate your heart's chambers and valves, and how well it pumps. The echo sound waves create a real time image on the monitor as an ultrasound pr...

Cardiac biomarkers are substances that are released into the blood when the heart is damaged or stressed. Measurements of these biomarkers are used to help diagnose acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and cardiac ischemia, conditions associated with insufficient blood flow to the heart. Tests for cardiac biomarkers can also be used to help determine a person’s risk of having these conditions or to help monitor and manage someone with suspected ACS and cardiac ischemia. The root causes of both ACS and cardiac ischemia are usually the buildup of plaque in artery walls and hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). This can result in severe narrowing of the arteries leading to the heart or a sudden blockage of blood flow through these coronary arteries. • Cardiac ischemia is caused when the supply of blood reaching heart tissue is not enough to meet the heart’s needs. When not enough blood gets to the heart, it can cause pain in the chest (angina), shortness of breath, sweating, and other symptoms. Typical angina occurs when the coronary arteries have been gradually narrowed over time. The pain starts when a person is active, making the heart work harder, and is quickly relieved by rest or by drugs that increase blood flow to the heart, such as nitroglycerine. • ACS is caused by rupture of a plaque that results from atherosclerosis. Plaque rupture causes blood clot (thrombus) formation in coronary arteries, which results in a sudden decrease in the amount of blood and oxygen reac...