Systolic dysfunction (or systolic heart failure) occurs when the heart muscle does not contract with enough force, so there is less oxygen-rich blood is pumped throughout the body.
A calculation made during an echocardiogram called the ejection fraction (EF) is used to measure how well the heart pumps with each beat to help determine if systolic or diastolic dysfunction is present. The doctor can discuss which condition you have.
How is heart failure diagnosed?
The doctor many questions about your symptoms and medical history. You will be asked of all who have conditions that can cause heart failure (such as coronary heart disease, angina, diabetes, heart valve disease and high blood pressure). You will be asked if you smoke, take drugs, drink alcohol (and how much you drink), and what medications you take.
You will also get a complete physical examination. The doctor listens to your heart and look for signs of heart failure and other diseases that may have caused the heart muscle to weaken or stiffen.
The doctor may also order other tests to determine the cause and severity of your heart failure. These include:
Blood tests. Blood tests are used to evaluate kidney function and thyroid, as well as to control cholesterol levels and the presence of anemia. Anemia is a blood condition that occurs when there is not enough hemoglobin (the substance in red blood cells that enables blood to carry oxygen throughout the body) in the blood of a person.
B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) blood test. BNP is a substance secreted by the heart in response to changes in blood pressure that occur when heart failure develops or worsens. Blood levels of BNP increase when heart failure symptoms worsen, and decreases when the heart failure condition is stable. The level of BNP in a person with heart failure - even someone whose condition is stable - is higher than a person with normal cardiac function. BNP levels do not necessarily correlate with the severity of heart failure.
Chest X-ray. A chest x-ray shows the size of your heart and if there is accumulation of fluid around the heart and lungs.
Echocardiogram. This test shows the movement of the heart.
Ejection fraction (EF). A test called the ejection fraction (EF) is used to measure how well the heart pumps with each beat to determine if the systolic dysfunction or heart failure with preserved left ventricular function are present. The doctor can discuss which condition is present in your heart.
Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG). An EKG records the electrical impulses that travel through the heart.
Cardiac catheterization.
The stress test.
Other tests may be ordered, depending on condition.
