Testing for a Heart Attack
If you think you're having a heart attack, get help at once. Don't wait
to be sure. Call 9-1-1 right away. Delay can be deadly.
Once you get help, you will undergo tests to see if a heart attack
has actually occurred. Some tests are done at the hospital, while
others can be done by emergency medical personnel who come in an
ambulance. (Tests and treatments done by emergency medical personnel.)
Key heart attack tests are:
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Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG).
This is a graphic record of the electrical activity of the heart as it
contracts and relaxes. The ECG can detect abnormal heartbeats, some
areas of damage, inadequate blood flow, and heart enlargement. |
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Blood test.
A blood test will be done routinely to check for enzymes or other
substances that are released when cells begin to die. These are
"markers" of the amount of damage to your heart. |
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Nuclear scan.
This test shows areas of the heart that lack blood flow and are
damaged. It also can reveal problems with the heart?s pumping action. A
small amount of radioactive material is injected into a vein, usually
in the arm. A scanning camera positioned over the heart records whether
the nuclear material is taken up by the heart muscle (healthy areas) or
not (damaged areas). The camera also can evaluate how well the heart
muscle pumps blood. This test can be done during both rest and
exercise, enhancing the usefulness of its results. |
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Coronary angiography (or arteriography).
This test is used to check blockages and narrowed areas inside coronary
arteries. A fine tube (catheter) is threaded through an artery of an
arm or leg up into the heart. A dye that shows up on X ray is then
injected into the blood vessel, and the vessels and heart are filmed as
the heart pumps. The picture is called an angiogram or arteriogram. |
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