If you have heart issues or are suspected of having a heart condition, your doctor may order an array of tests. Heart tests give you and your doctor more information about the condition of your heart and can help you find out which treatment(s) may be best for you. But what’s their purpose and what should you expect?

 

Note: If you are taking medication for your heart, it is important to talk to your doctor, nurse or other health professional about whether you need to stop taking these medications before having a heart test, and how soon you should start taking it again after the test.

 

1. Angiogram

2. CT angiogram and Calcium score

3. Cardiac general screening

4. Sudden cardiac death risk assessment

5. Exercise fitness screening

6. Electrocardiography (ECG), Chest X-Ray (CXR)

7. 24 hour ambulatory BP

8. 24 hour ambulatory Holter

9. Echocardiography and Transoesophageal echocardiography

10. Stress test (treadmill ECG, stress echo, myocardial perfusion nuclear scan(sestamibi scan/ thallium scan)

11. Viability study (nuclear or MRI)

12. Pacemaker and ICD check

13. Hear specific Blood tests - Full Blood Count (FBC), Cardiac troponins (cTn1, cTnT), high sensitivity CRP, Electrolytes, urea and creatinine (RPs), Liver Function Tests (LFTs), Thyroid Function Tests (TFTs), Brain Natriuretic Peptides (BNP or N-terminal pro BNP)