What Tests Should Be Done To Check From Heart Attack

If you feel like a heart attack is likely to happen to you and/or your medical care provider suspects you had a heart attack, you may be wondering what tests should be done to check for a heart attack. When the blood vessels are obstructed and cannot provide the blood supply to the heart preventing oxygen from reaching it, the heart muscles become damaged or die completely. This is considered a myocardial infarction also known as the heart attack. 

Once brought into a medical setting, you will be hooked up to an electrocardiogram (ECG) machine. Small electrodes will be attached around your torso and record all the electrical activity from your heart. During this time, if you have had a heart or attack or are in the process of having a heart attack, these electrical impulses will be recorded and displayed for the medical provider to observe. Blood will also be drawn to check the heart enzymes. These enzymes enter the blood stream if your heart has been damaged and can be found during a blood test.

Your medical care provider may require additional testing including a chest x-ray to check the shape and size of your heart, an echocardiogram to create an image of your heart, an angiogram to show if your coronary arteries have been blocked or narrowed, and a nuclear scan, where a small amount of radioactive materials are injected into the veins to see if there are any blood flow problems. In the days to come afterwards, your medical care provider may include a stress test. The stress test is done to check how the blood vessels and heart handle exertion.

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