Depending on symptoms, cardiovascular disease is diagnosed starting with a clinical history and physical exam. Symptoms such as angina, decreased exercise tolerance, shortness of breath, intermittent claudication, syncope (fainting), etc. can signal that additional testing is needed to determine the likelihood of cardiovascular disease. Presence of known risk factors such as smoking, diabetes mellitus, obesity, hypertension, family history of CVD, and dyslipidemia all raise the probability of CVD. Laboratory diagnostic tests such as electrocardiogram, blood tests (including cardiac enzymes), stress test, and cardiac imaging (MIBI scan/cardiac CT scan, etc) may also be warranted.[1]
How is cardiovascular disease diagnosed?
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•Last Updated: May 16, 2025
Cardiovascular disease is diagnosed through a clinical history and physical exam, which focuses on symptoms like angina and shortness of breath, as well as known risk factors such as smoking and diabetes. Additional laboratory tests, including electrocardiograms and cardiac imaging, may be conducted to assess the likelihood of the disease.