The chest X-ray is less useful for heart disease diagnosis now that echocardiography is available. However it is still useful to show the lungs, since they may give a clue to respiratory causes of breathlessness e.g. COPD or pleural effusions. It may also show calcium in the valves or pericardium (the lining around the heart). […]

Sometimes blood tests are performed in patients with heart valve disease. If you have symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain/discomfort, your healthcare team may wish to check your blood count to ensure you are not anaemic (low red cell count). Often your baseline kidney, liver and thyroid function is also checked. Before […]

It is important to check blood pressure and pulse rate in patients with heart valve disease. High blood pressure is a common condition and should be treated in those where the blood pressure is persistently elevated. Occasionally your healthcare professional may also check your oxygen levels, especially if you experience shortness of breath. 

Simply listening to the heart with a stethoscope will diagnose heart valve disease in many patients. When blood flow abnormally across a heart valve, a sound called a ‘murmur’ is heard. An echocardiogram is required to confirm whether this murmur is due to underlying heart valve disease.