Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Diagnosis

The process of diagnosing coronary artery disease will likely start with one or more symptoms, such as chest pain or shortness of breath, that lead to a visit with your primary care physician. Your doctor will perform a routine physical exam, assess your risk factors, and discuss your family history of heart problems.

If there are enough factors pointing to a potentially larger problem such as CAD, your doctor will refer you to a cardiologist, who specializes in treating heart problems in adults. There is no one definitive test to diagnose CAD, so a cardiologist will likely run a battery of diagnostic tests to help diagnose CAD or diagnose and/or rule out other conditions.

Learn about tests used to diagnose CAD.