How to Diagnose Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart's pumping action cannot pump enough oxygen rich blood to the body's organs. Heart failure can be caused by diseases that weaken or stiffen the heart muscle or require more oxygen than the heart can produce.

Instructions

• 1

  Visit your physician and have a full physical examination performed. This exam includes giving a detailed medical history and notation of any risk factors such as hypertension or lung diseases.

• 2

  Expect your doctor to draw blood to check for thyroid and kidney functioning. The blood tests can also show chemical signs indicating heart damage.

• 3

  Anticipate having a chest X-ray to show the condition of your heart and lungs. If you have congestive heart failure, the X-ray indicates an enlarged heart or excessive fluid surrounding it.

• 4

  Have an echocardiogram when requested by your cardiologist. The test creates a picture of the heart and pumping action using sound waves. It measures how well your heart pumps the blood out with each heartbeat.

• 5

  Undergo other tests that your doctor orders such as an electrocardiogram (ECG), which tests the electrical activity within your heart. This noninvasive test consists of placing electrodes on your chest and hooking them up to a machine that maps the heart's activity.

• 6

  Ask your doctor about performing other imaging tests such as an MRI, a CT or a cardiac catheterization to help diagnose and assess your heart's function and condition.