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(@mayonewsreleases) published a blog post · February 15th, 2013
Special Report: Common Diagnostic Tools for Heart Disease
Blood tests: Blood tests are an easy and relatively inexpensive
way to look for clues about heart health. Some tests offer
specific information and others indicate risk of heart disease.
One commonly ordered test looks at the levels of troponin, a
protein from the heart muscle. Troponin levels in the blood
increase soon after heart damage occurs and remain elevated for
up to two weeks.  Electrocardiogram: Also called an ECG, an
electrocardiogram detects irregularities in the heart's
electrical activity that could be contributing to chest pain or
heart palpitations.  Echocardiogram: This ultrasound of the
heart allows the doctor to see how well the heart is beating and
pumping blood. It's used to identify abnormalities in the heart
muscle and valves, as well as to identify areas of heart muscle
damaged or weakened by a heart atta