blood tests for HF

[NLGA]

hi

I had 5 days in hospital in May then again in June

I was wired up both times for 5 days to a monitor I also must have had 6/7 ECG ‘s in that time .

my question is if the various blood test I had would have been for heart failure ? I naturally thought they would sling with my X Ray

I also had a echo where it was detected mild MR mild LVH everything else ok no thickness no valve structure problems

I am still breathless at times and have non persistent AF

My GP today said she doesn’t call my issues heart failure but if I am unhappy or worried I can go for a blood test , after I put the phone down I thought surely that was done in hospital as I spent 3 days of the 5 after the assessment in a cardio ward and was discharged with AF

It may sound a daft thing to ask but was my GP being over cautious due to my concern ir not really read my notes ?

Surely one if the blood test would have been for heart failure

[Anon2023]

Hi. Hope you are well. I had BNP test carried out by my gp before I was sent for my first echo. Your doctor will call them B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal-pro-BNP (NT-pro-BNP). Levels of both in your blood go up when heart failure is present but they can fluctuate. Mine was high but not enough to warrant a referral to cardiology but she did it anyway on the basis that I had other symptoms. I would have thought that if they suspected heart failure the hospital would have done this test. But perhaps they didn’t suspect heart failure and didn’t carry out the test on that basis. I don’t know if it’s a routine test or whether they only do it when there is a possible diagnosis of hf. If you are at all worried why not take your gp up on her offer, it might put your mind at ease. I think the test is about 80% accurate in identifying hf but everyone is an individual.

[NLGA in reply to Anon2023]

Yes will do have got one booked now , although I was in cardio for 3 of the days so I really hope if they thought it and although it was AF they would have ,but who knows , having been told I had hayfever in hospital when I had a bacteria infection in my lungs last month I can’t tell with them

[Anon2023 in reply to NLGA]

It won’t do any harm to have it checked. Good luck. 😊

[NLGA in reply to Anon2023]

ThankYou