How it's done:

• You'll be asked about your medical history and symptoms. Usually you have to fill out forms with this information before your examination. The doctor or a healthcare assistant may ask you the questions again during the exam.
• Your blood pressure will be taken.
• You'll be weighed.
• A healthcare professional will listen to your heart and lungs using a stethoscope.
• The physical exam is generally painless.

• Don't be afraid to "look bad." For instance, if you smoke, eat a lot of high-fat foods or are physically inactive, be honest. That information helps determine your risk for heart failure.
• Your doctor can't make an accurate diagnosis without full input from you. Think of your healthcare providers as your partners — you have to work together to be successful.
• Follow all instructions for preparing for your exam. You may be told not to eat or drink anything for a certain amount of time before your appointment.
• Bring all your medications or a list of all your medications to your appointment. That includes over-the-counter drugs, vitamins and supplements as well as prescriptions.

How it's done:

• You'll be asked about your medical history and symptoms. Usually you have to fill out forms with this information before your examination. The doctor or a healthcare assistant may ask you the questions again during the exam.
• Your blood pressure will be taken.
• You'll be weighed.
• A healthcare professional will listen to your heart and lungs using a stethoscope.
• The physical exam is generally painless.

• Don't be afraid to "look bad." For instance, if you smoke, eat a lot of high-fat foods or are physically inactive, be honest. That information helps determine your risk for heart failure.
• Your doctor can't make an accurate diagnosis without full input from you. Think of your healthcare providers as your partners — you have to work together to be successful.
• Follow all instructions for preparing for your exam. You may be told not to eat or drink anything for a certain amount of time before your appointment.
• Bring all your medications or a list of all your medications to your appointment. That includes over-the-counter drugs, vitamins and supplements as well as prescriptions.

How they're done:

• A sample of blood is drawn from your arm, either in the doctor's office or in a lab.
• The sample is then analyzed for levels of important substances, such as sodium and potassium (sometimes called electrolytes), albumin (a type of protein) and creatinine (which is connected with kidney function).

How it's done:

• X-rays are taken while you stand up or lie down on a table.
• Views may be taken from the back, front and/or sides.
• X-ray studies may be done in the doctor's office or in a separate radiology lab.
• X-rays are painless.

• Whether the heart is enlarged
• Whether there is congestion in the lungs.

How it's done:

• Small electrodes (round plastic discs the size of a half-dollar) are placed on your chest. Wires run from the electrodes to the EKG machine.
• The EKG machine then records your heart's rhythm, frequency of beats and electrical conduction.
• EKGs are painless.

• Whether you've had a heart attack
• If the left ventricle is thickened
• If the heart rhythm is abnormal

 Learn more about EKGs.

How it's done:

• An ultrasound test that uses sound waves to examine the heart's structure and motion.
• The patient lies still while a technician moves a device over the chest.
• The device gives off a silent sound wave that bounces off the heart, creating images of the chambers and valves.
• Generally painless.
   

How it's done:

• You'll be hooked up to equipment to monitor your heart.
• You'll walk slowly in place on a treadmill. Then the speed is increased for a faster pace and the treadmill is tilted to produce the effect of going up a small hill.
• You may be asked to breathe into a tube for a couple of minutes.
• Your heart rate and rhythm, breathing, blood pressure and how tired you feel are monitored during the test.
• You'll be asked to keep up the pace for as long as you can, but you can stop the test at any time if needed.
• Afterwards, you will sit or lie down while your heart and blood pressure are checked.
• The test is painless although you may feel as though you're exercising strenuously during the test.
   

• Whether your heart responds normally to the stress of exercise.
• Whether the blood supply is reduced in the arteries that supply your heart.
• Can help determine the kind and level of exercise appropriate for you.

How it's done:

• Radioactive substances called radionuclides are injected into the bloodstream.
• Computer-generated pictures can then display their locations in the heart.
• You'll have a shot or an IV; otherwise a painless procedure.
• There's no lasting effect from the radionuclides.

• How well the heart muscle is supplied with blood
• How well the heart's chambers are working
• Whether part of the heart has been damaged by heart attack

How it's done:

• A very small tube (catheter) is inserted into a blood vessel in your upper thigh (groin area) or arm.
• The tip of the tube is positioned either in the heart or at the beginning of the arteries supplying the heart.
• A special fluid (called a contrast medium or dye) is injected. This fluid is visible by X-ray.
• The pictures that are obtained are called angiograms.
• This procedure may involve some discomfort from placement of the catheter. You may be required to rest in a certain position after the procedure.

• Blockages in the coronary arteries are visible on the x-rays.
• The parts of your heart that are fed by the blocked or narrowed arteries may be weakened or damaged from lack of blood.