Diagnosis
Tests for heart failure Blood tests to check whether there's anything in your blood that might indicate heart failure or another illness An electrocardiogram (ECG) this records the electrical activity of your heart to check for problems. The electrocardiogram always presents with anomalies. It can indicate rhythm disorders, such as atrial fibrillation, ventricular arrhythmia, blockage of the left branch, etc. An echocardiogram is a type of ultrasound scan where sound waves are used to examine your heart. A two-dimensional echocardiography is a very useful examination in order to definitely determine the diagnosis of cardiomyopathy and heart failure. This examination also serves to differentiate from other diagnoses such as restrictive cardiomyopathy, valve or pericardium diseases etc. Angiograms are used only if necessary. Breathing tests you may be asked to blow into a tube to check whether a lung problem is contributing to your breathlessness; common tests include spirometry and a peak flow test. Chest X-ray to check whether your heart is bigger than it should be, whether there is fluid in your lungs (a sign of heart failure), or whether a lung condition could be causing your symptoms. Radiological examinations of the chest indicate heart enlargement as well as swelling of the blood vessels in the lungs, which suggests that there is an increase of pulmonary venous pressure. The diagnosis is based on the information collected from the patient history; organic symptoms such as dyspnea, pulmonary stasis, tachycardia, a galloping rhythm, coughing with hemoptoic sputum etc., are all symptoms which attest to problems of the left ventricle. Cyanosis, liver enlargement, edemas, transudates in serous cavities, swollen jugulars, an increase of venous pressure, etc., are all symptoms which attest to problems of the right ventricle. Differential diagnosis process Physicians run differential diagnosis against the following conditions: Cardiac diseases, which lead to insufficiency such as heart ailments, hypertensive disease, ischemic heart diseases, etc. Bronchopulmonary diseases accompanied by dyspnea, such as bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema, lung cancer. Renal diseases. Hepatic cirrhosis rendered decompensated by ascites and edema. Diagnosis of left ventricular heart failure During an examination of the heart, the physician observes that the left ventricle has been displaced to the bottom left, the heart sounds are muted, there is a fast and a galloping rhythm and systolic noise can be heard at the apex of the heart as a consequence of the functional insufficiency of the mitral valve. At the base of both lungs one can hear faint stasis rales; at times a pleural liquid may appear, which pertains to the transudate type. Patients do not suffer from edemas and the venous pressure is normal. Radiological examinations indicate an enlarged left ventricle, hilar and basal lung stasis; at times hydrothorax (liquid accumulation), more often occurring on the right. The electrocardiogram exhibits signs of an overload of the left ventricle, which is often accompanied by a blockage of the left branch. Diagnosis of right ventricle heart failure Upon conducting a heart examination, tachycardia is evident, the heart sounds are muted, there are galloping sounds and systolic noises in the vicinity of the xiphoid process (the cartilaginous section at the lower end of the sternum, which is not attached to any ribs, and gradually ossifies during adult life). These indicate a functional insufficiency of the tricuspid valve. In the epigastric region, one can observe the pulsations of the enlarged right ventricle. As a consequence of venous stasis, the jugulars are swollen, the venous pressure is high, and the speed of blood circulation is slow. Radiological examinations attest to the following: The right ventricle, and at times the right atrium is enlarged. The infundibulum (a conical pouch formed from the upper and left angle of the right ventricle in the chordate heart) appears more swollen. There are other examinations that can be performed in order to visualize the enlarged heart, but the radiological examination is the clearest, most effective method that can be used to set a diagnosis. The electrocardiogram exhibits hypertrophy of the right ventricle, which oftentimes can be accompanied by a blockage of the right branch. Diagnosis of biventricular heart failure Biventricular heart failure occurs as a consequence of the combination of the failure of the left and right ventricles. There are no particular symptoms, but more often than not the symptoms of the failure of the right ventricle (with peripheral venous stasis) are more predominantly visible. Usually, when the failure of the right ventricle emerges, the patient feels better, because symptoms and conditions such as cardiac asthma and acute pulmonary edema disappear. If you have symptoms of heart failure, your GP will ask you to describe them in detail. They will also carry out a physical examination. If they think you could have heart failure, they may refer you to a hospital specialist for further tests.
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Articles for heart failure
Heart failure (HF), often referred to as congestive heart failure (CHF), occurs when the heart is unable to pump sufficiently to maintain blood flow to meet the body's needs. Heart failure doesn't mean your heart has stopped working it just needs some support to help it work better.
The symptoms of heart failure can vary from person to person. They may start suddenly or develop gradually over weeks or months. The most common symptoms of heart failure are: shortness of breath, fatigue, swollen ankles and legs, etc.
If you have symptoms of heart failure , your GP will ask you to describe them in detail. They will also carry out a physical examination. Tests you may have to diagnose heart failure include: blood tests, an electrocardiogram (ECG), an echocardiogram, etc.
If you've been diagnosed with heart failure, making healthy lifestyle changes can help relieve your symptoms and reduce your risk of becoming seriously ill. Most people with heart failure are treated with medication. Often you'll need to take two or three different medicines.
It's very important to take good care of yourself if you have heart failure. Some of the main things you'll be advised to do are; take your medication, have a healthy diet, exercise regularly, stop smoking, make regular reviews.
Pathologies of the heart are characterized by a reduced potential energy of the heart. However, the heart still attempts to withstand this phenomenon via certain mechanisms, which affect the heart muscle and cause the following cardiomyopathies.
Heart failure is a condition which often can be accompanied by complications that range from mild to severe and life-threatening.
There are many heart failure classifications being used. These classifications are used in order to help with a better understanding of the different stages and the treatment of the various stages.