Most forms of heart disease are chronic. In the beginning, symptoms may be too mild to affect everyday life. And in many cases, long-term treatment can keep symptoms under control. But if the heart begins to fail, patients may develop shortness of breath, fatigue, or swelling in ankles, feet, legs, and abdomen. Heart failure can be managed with medication, lifestyle changes, surgery, and in certain cases, a heart transplant.
Testing: Cardiac Catheterization
Cardiac catheterization helps diagnose and treat some heart conditions. The doctor guides a narrow tube, called a catheter, through a blood vessel in your arm or leg until it reaches the coronary arteries. Dye is injected into each coronary artery, making them easy to see with an X-ray. This reveals the extent and severity of any blockages. Treatments such as angioplasty or stenting can be done during this procedure.
Testing: Chest X-ray
A chest X-ray is a picture of your heart, lungs, and chest bones that's made by using a very small amount radiation. Chest X-rays can be used to look for heart and lung abnormalities.
In this image, the bulge seen on the right side is an enlarged left ventricle, the heart's main pumping chamber.
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