Tests to Detect Heart Disease at University of Colorado Hospital

Your doctor may administer one or more of the following tests to determine if, and to what degree, you may suffer from heart disease:

• Family history and physical exam
• The 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
• The treadmill exercise test measures your heart capacity and helps your doctor develop an exercise prescription
• A test for fasting lipids 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
• A stress echocardiogram takes pictures of the heart, using sound waves, while the patient walks on a treadmill
• The carotid intimal thickening ultrasound test uses sound wave-producing wands to measure the build-up of fatty deposits (plaque) in the arteries