Coronary artery disease
* Previous heart attack
* Diabetes
* Obesity
* Cardiomyopathy
* Heart-valve disease
* Certain abnormal heart rhythms
* Family history of cardiomyopathy
The American Heart Association identifies these among important contributors to heart-failure risk.
## How Is Heart Failure Diagnosed?
Symptoms alone cannot confirm heart failure.
A healthcare professional may use several tests depending on the situation, including:
* Physical examination
* Blood tests
* Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG)
* Chest X-ray
* Echocardiogram
* Exercise testing
* Cardiac MRI or other imaging
An echocardiogram is particularly useful because it can show the heart’s structure and how well it pumps.
## When Should
