Tests to Detect Heart Disease at University of Colorado Hospital

• Family history and physical exam
• Ankle-Brachial Index compares the blood pressure in the arm to the pressure in the leg using a blood pressure cuff and Doppler ultrasound probe
• Blood pressure cuffs, placed at various locations in the legs, detect the location of artery blockages
• Treadmill exercise test measures your heart capacity and helps your doctor develop an exercise prescription
• Fasting lipids test checks for excessively high concentrations of fats (cholesterol and triglycerides) in the blood
• An echocardiogram (ECHO), also known as a cardiac ultrasound, uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart
• Stress echocardiogram takes pictures of the heart, using sound waves, while the patient walks on a treadmill
• Carotid intimal thickening ultrasound uses sound wave-producing wands to measure the build-up of fatty deposits (plaque) in the arteries