And now as we are at the seventh installation of this new series of article from Men, Heart Diseases and EKG Machines, on this part, we will discuss how heart failure is diagnosed.
Your doctor will ask you many questions about your symptoms and medical history. You will be asked about any conditions you have that may cause heart failure (such as coronary artery disease, angina, diabetes, heart valve disease, and high blood pressure). You will be asked if you smoke, take drugs, drink alcohol (and how much you drink), and about what medications you take.
You will also get a complete physical exam. Your doctor will listen to your heart and look for signs of heart failure as well as other illnesses that may have caused your heart muscle to weaken or stiffen.
Your doctor may also order other tests to determine the cause and severity of your heart failure. These include:
Blood tests
Blood tests are used to evaluate kidney and thyroid function as well as to check cholesterol levels and the presence of anemia. Anemia is a blood condition that occurs when there is not enough hemoglobin (the substance in red blood cells that enables the blood to transport oxygen through the body) in a person's blood.
B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) blood test
BNP is a substance secreted from the heart in response to changes in blood pressure that occur when heart failure develops or worsens. BNP blood levels increase when heart failure symptoms worsen, and decrease when the heart failure condition is stable. The BNP level in a person with heart failure -- even someone whose condition is stable -- is higher than in a person with normal heart function. BNP levels do not necessarily correlate with the severity of heart failure.
Chest X-ray
A chest X-ray shows the size of your heart and whether there is fluid build-up around the heart and lungs.
Echocardiogram
This test shows the heart's movement.
Ejection fraction (EF)
A test called the ejection fraction (EF) is used to measure how well your heart pumps with each beat to determine if systolic dysfunction or heart failure with preserved left ventricular function are present. Your doctor can discuss which condition is present in your heart.
Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG)
An EKG records the electrical impulses traveling through the heart.
Cardiac catheterization
Stress Test
Other tests may be ordered, depending on your condition.
Allow me to stop there for a moment to give a review on this yet another superb EKG device brand Future Med: Future Med Easy ECG Plus. Also being listed in the EKGShop.com website, Future Med Easy ECG Plus is regarded as one of the recommended EKG Machines brand available in the market today as being used by most doctors and medical hospitals or clinics.
The Future Med Easy ECG Plus has economical packages with interpretation for under $2,000. Also, this EKG is a cost-effective Use any Windows compatible printer (inkjet, laser, etc.) with standard copy paper to generate full page reports and a zoom function lets you study each wave form recorded during acquisition, and adjust morphology with related measures of time and amplitude.
This said EKG Machine has up to $30 reimbursement per test. This ECG Machine has multiple test display two or more reports can be displayed and compared simultaneously.
Aside from the abovementioned specs, this EKG also includes these features: customizable In addition to standard demographic information, patient records can include physicians' notes and comments, memory An unlimited number of patient files can be stored using little memory. Files can be also be archived on floppy disk or CD-ROM, network compatible Easy ECG is compatible with Windows network protocols and file sharing Individual tests, or complete patient files, can be transmitted to other stations electronically or stored to a floppy disk.
Moreover, if you buy EKG on the website (www.ekgshop.com), they offer a 3-year manufacturers warranty. You can also avail for a 1 year extended warranty which is available for $ 199 only. Extended warranty plans available including free loaners and our exclusive Rapid Response Service.
For more info regarding this brand, you may visit the link below:
http://www.ekgshop.com/Product/Easy-ECG-Plus.html
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