Testing and Diagnosis for Heart Failure

Tests to Diagnose Heart Failure

When it comes to living with heart failure, understanding what diagnostic tests are available can help ease your mind. That’s why our dedicated team of heart failure experts walk you through every step of the diagnosis process.

Ensuring you feel comfortable and informed. Every step of the way.

At Broward Health, we also work closely with your primary care team. Ensuring your entire healthcare team has what you need to get back to feeling your best.

Heart Failure Tests We Provide

Common Tests

If your medical team suspects your symptoms are related to heart failure, they may suggest some of the following baseline tests to ensure you receive the proper diagnosis:

Blood tests: Blood tests not only help us detect signs of heart failure—they also provide a lot of useful information about your overall health.
Chest X-ray: Depending on your symptoms, it’s sometimes useful to see the size and shape of your heart with a quick and painless chest X-ray. These diagnostic images can also reveal fluid in your lungs, which is a common sign of heart failure.
Echocardiogram: An echocardiogram is a safe and non-invasive way to show how well your heart is pumping and to detect problems with your heart's structure and function.

 Advanced Tests to Diagnose Heart Failure

If your first tests come back inconclusive, or your heart failure symptoms are more severe, we may also recommend other diagnostics, including:

Cardiac catheterization: Cardiac catheterization checks your heart’s blood flow, so we can see if your arteries are blocked or narrowed. This detailed information about your heart's condition helps us build an effective and personalized care plan for you.
Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG): An EKG records the electrical activity of your heart, helping us find abnormal heart rhythms and other heart problems. This test is quick and involves placing small sensors on your chest, arms, and legs.
Cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET): A CPET shows how your heart works during physical activity. It helps us see if your heart gets enough blood and oxygen while you’re exercising. You will walk on a treadmill or ride a stationary bike while wearing a face mask, so we can monitor your heart rate and your oxygen levels.

 High-tech Imaging for Heart Failure

To ensure you receive the proper diagnosis, we will want to see your heart’s structure and how well it’s working currently. To accomplish this, we may use innovative imaging, including:

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Using magnets and radio waves, MRI technology helps us create detailed pictures of your heart. MRI imaging is non-invasive but very precise — and helps us see any problems with your heart’s structure, such as damage from a heart attack or other heart diseases.
CardioMEMS HF system: The CardioMEMS HF System helps us monitor your heart failure symptoms from the comfort of your own home. A small sensor is implanted in your pulmonary artery, measuring and recording your pulmonary artery pressure. This data is sent to your cardiologist, allowing for continuous monitoring and timely adjustments to your treatment plan.