What are the tests for heart disease?
In addition to measuring your blood pressure, your doctor will ask about your medical history (whether you’ve had heart problems before), assess your risk factors (whether you smoke, have high cholesterol, diabetes etc.), and talk about your family history (whether any members of your family have had heart disease, which is another risk factor). Your doctor will also conduct a physical exam. As part of this exam, he or she might listen to your pulses with a stethoscope for a bruit, a whooshing or swishing sound that indicates that the artery might be blocked. Your doctor might also check the pulses in your arm and ankle to determine if they are weak or even absent. Your doctor might choose to do this or other additional tests as well. In general, testing for heart disease is most useful in patients who have signs or symptoms of heart disease identified during the history and physical exam. Among the most commonly used tests are the following: • Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) — This mea
In addition to measuring your blood pressure, your doctor will ask about your medical history (whether you’ve had heart problems before), assess your risk factors (whether you smoke, have high cholesterol, diabetes etc.), and talk about your family history (whether any members of your family have had heart disease, which is another risk factor). Your doctor will also conduct a physical exam. As part of this exam, he or she might listen to your pulses with a stethoscope for a bruit, a whooshing or swishing sound that indicates that the artery might be blocked. Your doctor might also check the pulses in your arm and ankle to determine if they are weak or even absent. Your doctor might choose to do this or other additional tests as well. In general, testing for heart disease is most useful in patients who have signs or symptoms of heart disease identified during the history and physical exam. Among the most commonly used tests are the following: • Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) This measu
In addition to measuring your blood pressure, your doctor will ask about your medical history (whether youve had heart problems before), assess your risk factors (whether you smoke, have high cholesterol, diabetes etc.), and talk about your family history (whether any members of your family have had heart disease, which is another risk factor). Your doctor will also conduct a physical exam. As part of this exam, he or she might listen to your pulses with a stethoscope for a bruit, a whooshing or swishing sound that indicates that the artery might be blocked. Your doctor might also check the pulses in your arm and ankle to determine if they are weak or even absent. Your doctor might choose to do this or other additional tests as well. In general, testing for heart disease is most useful in patients who have signs or symptoms of heart disease identified during the history and physical exam. Among the most commonly used tests are the following: • Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) This measur
