Can doctor detect congestive heart failure with stethoscope?

Your doctor can listen to your lungs for signs of fluid buildup (lung congestion) and your heart for whooshing sounds (murmurs) that may suggest heart failure.

Can a stethoscope detect congestive heart failure?

Typical symptoms physicians look for include shortness of breath on exertion and fatigue. During an exam, your doctor will use a stethoscope to check for fluid in the lungs or listen to the heart to detect abnormal pumping sounds common in CHF.

How do doctors test for congestive heart failure?

A test called an echocardiogram is often the best test to diagnose your heart failure. Your doctor can also use this test to find out why you have heart failure, and then monitor your condition going forward every three to six months.

What lung sounds are heard with congestive heart failure?

Early stages of CHF may present with wheezing. As fluid begins to move into the lungs, the bronchioles will constrict in an effort to keep fluid out. This constriction will create wheezing. This has been referred to as cardiac asthma.

What heart sounds are heard with congestive heart failure?

A soft first heart sound is present in congestive heart failure or with prolonged atrioventricular (AV) conduction. The second heart sounds are best heard in the second and third left intercostal spaces.

How Heart Failure is Diagnosed

What are the obvious signs of congestive heart failure?

What is the hallmark of congestive heart failure?

The hallmark of heart failure is dyspnea. The classic combination of raised jugular venous pressure (JVP), peripheral edema, palpable liver, basal crepitations, tachycardia, and a third heart sound is well known.

Does a chest xray show congestive heart failure?

Chest X-rays can show changes or problems in your lungs that stem from heart problems. For instance, fluid in your lungs can be a result of congestive heart failure.

Do you cough a lot with congestive heart failure?

Due to the heart's inability to effectively pump blood, any returning circulation from the heart to the lungs can get backed up. This can lead to pulmonary congestion; hence, the name “congestive heart failure.” It's also the primary reason behind chronic coughing.

Does congestive heart failure cause mucus in lungs?

Chronic coughing or wheezing - Fluid congestion (a buildup of fluid in the lungs) is common with heart failure, and is the reason why doctors often refer to it as "congestive heart failure" (CHF). This congestion can make you wheeze and cough. Some people cough up mucous or phlegm.

Does congestive heart failure show up on an EKG?

A chest X-ray can be useful to identify evidence of heart failure or other lung pathology; however, a normal result does not rule out a diagnosis of heart failure. An electrocardiogram (ECG) is often abnormal in patients with heart failure, although up to 10% of patients may have a normal ECG.

What is the gold standard for diagnosing congestive heart failure?

While most patients with suspected HF do not require invasive testing for diagnosis, the clinical gold standard for diagnosis of HF is identification of an elevated pulmonary capillary wedge pressure at rest or exercise on an invasive hemodynamic exercise test in a patient with symptoms of HF.

How long does it take to get diagnosed with congestive heart failure?

In general, more than half of all people diagnosed with congestive heart failure will survive for 5 years. About 35% will survive for 10 years. Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a chronic, progressive condition that affects the heart's ability to pump blood around the body.

Can a doctor tell if you have heart problems by listening to your heart?

Listening to Your Heart

Your doctor will use a stethoscope to hear your heartbeat. The closing of your heart's valves makes a "lub dub" noise. The doctor can check your heart and valve health and hear your heart's rate and rhythm by listening to those sounds.

Do you feel sick with congestive heart failure?

This often is described as a pounding or racing sensation in the chest. Lack of Appetite or Nausea When the liver and digestive system become congested they fail to receive a normal supply of blood. This can make you feel nauseous or full, even if you haven't eaten.

How do I know if my cough is from my heart?

A Cough That Won't Quit

If you have a long-lasting cough that produces a white or pink mucus, it could be a sign of heart failure. This happens when the heart can't keep up with the body's demands, causing blood to leak back into the lungs. Ask your doctor to check on what's causing your cough.

What is a cardiac cough sound like?

A cough due to congestive heart fluid often sounds “wet.” Healthcare professionals describe a wet cough as one that produces rales, or crackles, when they listen to it with a stethoscope. Crackles sound like rattling or popping.

Can you have a mild case of congestive heart failure?

There may be times that your symptoms are mild or you may not have any symptoms at all. This doesn't mean you no longer have heart failure. Symptoms of heart failure can range from mild to severe and may come and go. Unfortunately, heart failure usually gets worse over time.

Can congestive heart failure be missed?

Conclusions: Many patients admitted with shortness of breath and low LVEF have CHF but are not diagnosed. Physicians are more likely to miss CHF in patients presenting without signs of fluid overload even when third heart sound is present with resting tachycardia.

What is the most common presenting complaint in congestive heart failure?

Exertional breathlessness is a frequent presenting symptom in heart failure, although it is a common symptom in the general population, particularly in patients with pulmonary disease.

What is the difference between congestive and congestive heart failure?

Heart failure often refers to early-stage weakening of the heart without congestion. As the damage to the heart progresses, it causes fluid to build up in the feet, arms, lungs, and other organs, which is referred to as congestion, throughout the body. This stage of heart failure is called CHF.

What aggravates congestive heart failure?

In those with heart failure, excess sodium can cause serious complications. It can also worsen high blood pressure (hypertension), which can exacerbate existing heart failure. What's more, high-sodium diets are usually high in fat and calories as well, which can contribute to obesity and its complications.

Can a blood test detect congestive heart failure?

Tests for 2 kinds of natriuretic peptides are currently available for the diagnosis of heart failure: BNP (B-type natriuretic peptide) and pro-BNP (N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide). Blood levels of both of these substances become elevated in patients with congestive heart failure.

Can you go in and out of congestive heart failure?

Symptoms can be constant or can come and go. The symptoms can include: Congested lungs. Fluid backup in the lungs can cause shortness of breath with exercise or difficulty breathing at rest or when lying flat in bed.

Can a person recover from congestive heart failure?

Although heart failure is a serious condition that progressively gets worse over time, certain cases can be reversed with treatment. Even when the heart muscle is impaired, there are a number of treatments that can relieve symptoms and stop or slow the gradual worsening of the condition.