Heart disease is among the most common and dangerous ailments people will face. Identifying the symptoms of heart disease early can lead doctors to perform various tests that can help diagnose the condition and find a treatment program in the earlier stages.

X-Ray

Although X-Rays are typically used to diagnose problems with harder tissues, such as bone, it can be used to determine if some soft tissue problems exist. People who complain of chest pain or other symptoms that might be consistent with heart problems might be scheduled for a chest X-Ray. Some of the problems the radiologist will be looking for are indications on the X-Ray that the heart appears enlarged or the largest blood vessel, the aorta, might be abnormal. Fluid build-up in the chest or lungs might also be consistent with heart problems. Sometimes other blood vessels in the chest or branches in the lungs can be seen on X-Ray and signal problems, such as heart failure.

Echocardiogram

An echocardiogram (ECG) is one way for doctors to see your heart and how it works. The test uses ultrasound to create an image of your heart on a screen. Depending on the exact form of ultrasound used, which can include black and white or color, doctors may be able to see more about blood flow in the heart. One of the major advantages of ECG is the ability to see the structure of the heart. Some issues that might occur are abnormalities with the way the heart pumps, congenital abnormalities, or enlargement of the heart. As far as blood flow is concerned, blood can move backward through valves or there might be narrowing of blood vessels that are preventing blood from moving through a vessel. Based on the results of an ECG, further testing might be warranted.

Stress Test

A stress test is similar to an electrocardiogram (EKG) where various leads are attached to your chest to measure the electrical activity of the heart. During a stress test, the EKG is performed while you are walking on a treadmill. The doctor or technician will have you walk at a leisurely pace, walk on an incline, and walk faster, which all places extra stress on the heart. The goal is to determine how your heart functions during stress. An advantage of a stress test is detecting symptoms that may not occur consistently. For example, the first indication of a heart problem might be feeling exhausted after walking up the stairs or other activities that normally do not make you exhausted. A stress test might trigger arrhythmias, which can make it easier for doctors to diagnose the problem if they can observe it occurring.

There are several tests used to diagnose cardiovascular problems. Typically X-Ray, ECG, and EKG are used before more expensive and invasive tests, such as CT, are needed to confirm a suspected heart problem. To learn more, contact a cardiology office like Alpert Zales & Castro Pediatric Cardiology.