Making the Diagnosis
A doctor can tell a lot about a heart with a stethoscope, but the standard
test for heart attack is the electrocardiogram (ECG). Electrodes
are taped to the chest and the electric signals made by the heart are monitored.
Different parts of the ECG wave give information on different parts of the heart
and this tells the doctor if there is ongoing damage and also where in the heart
it may be located.
There's also a blood test that reveals the presence of a heart attack by looking
for a protein that is released when heart cells die. This helps to eliminate
the possibility of other conditions that might be confused with a heart attack,
such as a blood clot to the lung or pneumonia.