6- Diagnosis
A careful physical examination is essential for the initial assessment of patients
with symptoms that suggest CHF. The diagnosis becomes straightforward when
it is associated with cardinal symptoms like exertional dyspnea and peripheral
edema. Initial routine laboratory testing with complete blood count, electrolyte
panel, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, and hepatic panel would be helpful
to assess other causes that might contribute to fluid retention or precipitate heart
Marwan Nasif 5
failure like severe anemia or kidney failure. A routine 12 lead ECG is of great
importance to determine the presence of arrhythmias, left ventricular
hypertrophy, or prior myocardial infarction. All patients with heart failure should
be screened for dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and thyroid dysfunction. A
chest X-ray is not a very sensitive test to confirm or refute congestive heart
failure; nonetheless, it might provide useful information about cardiac size,
pulmonary vasculature, and interstitial edema. Also, it is useful in evaluating
other causes of pulmonary disease that could simulate the presentation of HF.
2-D echocardiography with Doppler has become the gold standard noninvasive
test to evaluate ventricular and valvular functions. It provides semiquantitative
assessment of ventricular size, thickness, and contractility. The pulsed Doppler is
also an invaluable technique to study the valvular apparatus functions and blood
flow across the valves. A relatively new biomarker called brain natriuretic peptide
(BNP) has a relative sensitivity for the presence of HF with depressed left
ventricular function. BNP also has prognostic value, as it has been shown in
several studies that elevated levels of BNP were associated with increased
mortality and hospitalization. The use of invasive studies like right and left heart
catheterization currently are reserved to assess the presence of coronary artery
disease or primary pulmonary hypertension, which may require specific
treatment.