Patient Information --> Medical and Surgical Information --> Diagnostic Testing and Intervention --> Testing and Diagnosis

In the hospital Emergency Department or in your doctor's office, some of the most helpful information collected will be your report of your symptoms. The doctor will also ask you about your past medical history, take your blood pressure, pulse and have your temperature checked. Your doctor will listen to your heart and lungs with a stethoscope. You will be asked about the history of heart disease in your family. Doctors may also want to conduct tests to determine whether your signs and symptoms, such as chest pain, signal a heart attack or another problem.

Tests that may be done include:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG). This test records the electrical activity of your heart through electrodes attached to your skin. The electrical activity controls your heartbeat. This activity is recorded as "waves" on a monitor or printed on paper. Because injured heart muscle does not conduct the impulses normally, the ECG may show that a heart attack has occurred or is in progress. The ECG also helps point out other problems such as abnormal heart beating, heart strain, and enlargement.
  
  
• Blood tests. When the heart muscle is damaged due to a heart attack, it releases substances called enzymes. Cardiac enzymes are found by a blood test within 24 hours after the heart has suffered damage. Some of the enzymes the doctors may be looking for include Troponin, CPK, CPK-MB, and myoglobin.
  
  
• Chest X-ray. An X-ray image of your chest allows your doctor to check the size and shape of your heart and its blood vessels.

Additional Testing During Your Hospitalization

• Stress Tests: In the days or weeks following your heart attack, you may also undergo a stress test. Stress tests measure how your heart and blood vessels respond when you are working hard. An EKG is done while your heart is "stressed" either by walking on a treadmill or taking medications. Stress tests help doctors detect coronary artery disease, which can cause chest pain and heart attack.
  
  
• Nuclear scan: This test helps detect blood flow problems to your heart. Trace amounts of radioactive material (not harmful), such as thallium, are given into your bloodstream. Special cameras watch as it flows through your heart and lungs and the damaged areas can be seen by color changes on the scan.
  
  
• Echocardiogram: This test uses sound waves to create a picture of your heart. It shows heart wall motion, blood flow through the heart, and valve function. An echocardiogram can show damage from a heart attack.
  
  
• Coronary catheterization (angiogram): This test shows if your coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked. A liquid dye is given into the arteries of your heart through a long, thin tube (catheter) that is most often inserted in your leg. As the dye fills your arteries, they become visible on X-ray, showing areas of blockage. The movement of dye through your heart will be videotaped and the doctor will show it to you and discuss what the findings mean. Additionally, while the catheter is in position, it can be used to treat the blockage.