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Guidelines for Heart Failure Diagnosis

September 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

If you are wondering what the procedure and guidelines are for a doctor’s diagnostic exam in chronic adult heart failure, the National Guideline Clearinghouse of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has provided a thorough summary. Below is a brief excerpt from the guideline:

Guideline Objective(s)

To assist health care providers in clinical decision-making by describing a range of generally acceptable approaches for the prevention, diagnosis, and management of heart failure

Target Population

  • Adults with chronic heart failure associated with normal or low left ventricular ejection fraction , including consideration of the following special populations:
    • Women and men
    • High-risk ethnic minority groups (e.g., blacks)
    • Elderly patients
  • Adults at high risk of developing heart failure

Initial Assessments

  1. Thorough history and physical examination, including history of current and past alcohol and drug use, orthostatic blood pressure changes, weight and height, and calculation of body mass index
  2. Assessment of ability to perform routine and desired activities of daily living
  3. Laboratory testing: complete blood count, urinalysis, serum electrolytes (including calcium and magnesium), blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, liver function tests, and thyroid-stimulating hormone.
  4. 12-lead electrocardiography
  5. Chest radiography (PA and lateral)
  6. Two-dimensional echocardiogram coupled with Doppler flow studies
  7. Coronary arteriography in appropriate patients
  8. Maximal exercise testing with or without measurement of respiratory gas exchange and/or blood oxygen saturation in appropriate patients
  9. Screening for hemochromatosis, sleep-disturbed breathing, or human immunodeficiency virus, in selected patients
  10. Diagnostic tests for rheumatologic diseases, amyloidosis, or pheochromocytoma, if indicated
  11. Endomyocardial biopsy, when specific diagnosis is suspected that would influence therapy
  12. Holter monitoring, if indicated.

The rest of the summary can be found here.

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avatar About N. Trinh

Nancy Ngan Trinh is a recent graduate from UCLA with a degree in Sociology and English. She is passionate about working in higher education. Her special interests include contemporary literature, musical theatre, coffee and traveling.

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