Heart Failure
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Common Symptoms
The most common symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, feeling tired, and swelling. Swelling usually occurs in the ankles, feet, legs, and sometimes in the abdomen.
Swelling is caused by fluid buildup in the body. The fluid buildup can lead to weight gain as well as a cough. The cough can be worse at night and when lying down.
When symptoms first begin, you might feel tired or short of breath after routine physical activities, such as climbing stairs. As heart failure progresses, the symptoms get worse. You may feel tired or short of breath after performing simple activities, like getting dressed.
Diagnosing Heart Failure
There is not one specific test to diagnose heart failure. Because the symptoms are common for other conditions, your doctor will determine if you have heart failure by doing a detailed medical history, an examination, and several tests.
The tests will identify whether you have any diseases or conditions that can cause heart failure. They will also rule out any other causes of your symptoms and determine the amount of damage to your heart.
During a physical examination, you can expect your doctor to listen to your heart for abnormal sounds and listen to your lungs for a buildup of fluid. Your doctor will also look for swelling in your ankles, feet, legs, abdomen, and in the veins in your neck.
If your doctor determines that you have signs of heart failure, he or she may order several tests.
Diagnostic Tests
Tests that are given to determine heart failure include:
- An EKG or ECG -- electrocardiogram -- measures the rate and regularity of your heartbeat. This test can also show if you have had a heart attack and whether the walls of your heart have thickened.
- A chest X-ray takes a picture of your heart and lungs. It will show whether your heart is enlarged or your lungs have fluid in them, both signs of heart failure.
- A BNP blood test measures the level of a hormone called BNP -- brain natriuretic peptide -- that increases in heart failure.
Once these initial tests have been performed, your doctor may decide to send you to a cardiologist, a specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. A cardiologist will perform a physical exam and may order other tests.
There are several tests that can identify the cause of heart failure. These tests include:
- An echocardiogram is one of the most useful tests for diagnosing heart failure. This test uses sound waves to create a picture of the heart and shows how well the heart is filling with blood. Your doctor uses this test to determine whether any areas of your heart are damaged.
- A Holter monitor, which is a small box that is attached to patches placed on your chest. The monitor, which is worn for 24 hours, provides a continuous recording of heart rhythm during normal activity.
- An exercise stress test captures your EKG and blood pressure before, during, or after exercise to see how your heart responds to exercise. This test tells doctors how your heart responds to activity.
