How Is a Heart Attack Diagnosed?
The diagnosis of heart attack is based on your
symptoms, your personal and family medical history, and the results of
diagnostic tests.
EKG (Electrocardiogram)
This test detects and records the electrical
activity of the heart. Certain changes in the appearance of the electrical
waves on an EKG are strong evidence of a heart attack. An
EKG
also can show if youre having
arrhythmias
(abnormal heartbeats), which a heart attack (and other conditions) can cause.
Blood Tests
During a heart attack, heart muscle cells die and
burst open, letting certain proteins out in the bloodstream.
Blood
tests can measure the amount of these proteins in the bloodstream. Higher
than normal levels of these proteins in the bloodstream is evidence of a heart
attack.
Commonly used blood tests include troponin tests, CK
or CKMB tests, and serum myoglobin tests. Blood tests are often repeated
to check for changes over time.
Coronary Angiography
Coronary
angiography is a special x-ray exam of the heart and blood vessels. It's
often done during a heart attack to help pinpoint blockages in the coronary
arteries.
The doctor passes a catheter (a thin, flexible tube)
through an artery in your arm or groin (upper thigh) and threads it to your
heart. This procedure—called
cardiac
catheterization—is part of coronary angiography.
A dye that can be seen on x ray is injected into the
bloodstream through the tip of the catheter. The dye lets the doctor study the
flow of blood through the heart and blood vessels.
If a blockage is found, another procedure, called
angioplasty,
may be used to restore blood flow through the artery. Sometimes during
angioplasty, the doctor will place a
stent
(a small mesh tube) in the artery to help keep the artery open. |