Diagnosis of Heart Failure Cannot Be Made by Symptoms Alone

Multiple Choice

Diagnosis of heart failure cannot be made by symptoms alone because many disorders share the same symptoms. The most specific and sensitive diagnostic test for heart failure is:

A) Chest x-rays that show cephalization and measure heart size
B) Two-dimensional echocardiograms that identify structural anomalies and cardiac dysfunction
C) Complete blood count, blood urea nitrogen, and serum electrolytes that facilitate staging for end-organ damage
D) Measurement of brain natriuretic peptide to distinguish between systolic and diastolic dysfunction