Heart Education Awareness Resource and Training through eLearning (HEARTe)


Introduction

Nurse with patient and clinical history folder

Prior to the patient undergoing any investigation, it is expected that the doctor/nurse will take a clinical history and examine the patient to form a differential diagnosis.

Cardiac investigations are an aid to clinical diagnosis and decision-making. In order to decide which clinical investigation to undertake, we need to determine what it is that we need to assess or measure, for example:

  • Blood tests may be required to determine an underlying cause or confirm a diagnosis. You may wish to review HEARTe module Common Cardiac Investigations: Routine blood tests, which provides an overview.
  • If the underlying problem is suspected to be electrical in origin, then electrocardiographic investigations will be required, for example, 12-lead ECG, event monitor etc.
  • Or, if it is thought that the clinical problem is related to the structure, mechanical function of the heart or blood flow then investigations using x-ray or imaging may be more appropriate

As we go through the module, for each investigation, we will consider:

  • Indications for the test
  • What are the benefits and risks of the test

See Common Cardiac Investigations for more on investigations.

Page last reviewed: 30 Jul 2020