Should dialysis patients have tests for heart and blood vessel disease?
Yes. To check how well your heart is working, you should have: • An electrocardiogram (ECG) when you first start dialysis and then once a year after that. • An echocardiogram when you first start dialysis. If these tests show any problem, you may also need to have: • A stress echocardiogram (a type of echocardiogram that includes exercise, usually on a treadmill) or a nuclear imaging test. These are done to check for a blocked artery. • An angiogram (an x-ray of the heart or arteries) to locate a blocked area and help plan treatment.
