Exams and Tests

If you suspect you have atrial fibrillation – or when you first find out you have it – your care team will ask about your symptoms, review your medical history and perform a physical exam.

Based on this information, your care team may order other tests to help plan your treatment. These tests include:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG also called an EKG): Small electrodes are attached to your body to record electrical signals from your heart. This is the main way AFib is found.
• Heart rhythm monitor: A heart monitor (examples include a Holter or event monitor) records your heart’s electrical activity while you wear it and go about your daily life (usually for a day to weeks). It can show whether you are going in and out of AFib or whether you have a persistent form of AFib or other kinds of heart rhythm disorders.
• Implantable loop recorder (ILR): This is an implantable heart rhythm monitor that can monitor your heart rhythm for years at a time. These are sometimes implanted in people who have had a stroke when AFib is suspected.
• Echocardiogram: A test that uses sound waves to make images of your heart. It can show whether there are problems with the structure of your heart, such as a weakened heart muscle or heart valve disease. This test can be done non-invasively over your chest. Sometimes an echocardiogram is done by passing a device down your throat under sedation to rule out blood clots in the heart.
• Blood tests: Your care team may order blood tests to check for thyroid or kidney problems or other issues.
• Stress test: Your care team may order a stress test to look for evidence of possible blockages in the arteries that supply blood to your heart.