Printable, per-diagnosis question lists. Bring the relevant list to your next appointment — there's no such thing as too many questions about your own heart.
General / First Visit
- What is my specific diagnosis, in plain terms?
- What caused this, if known?
- What tests do I need, and why?
- What's my treatment plan, and how will we know it's working?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you versus go to the ER?
- Are there lifestyle changes that would meaningfully help my specific situation?
- What does my outlook realistically look like?
- Are there any restrictions on my activity, work, or travel right now?
Heart Failure (HFrEF or HFpEF)
- What is my ejection fraction, and what does that number mean for me specifically?
- Which of the "four pillar" medications am I on, and which am I not on yet — why?
- How often should I weigh myself, and what change should prompt a call?
- What's my personal sodium/fluid target?
- Am I a candidate for cardiac rehab?
- At what point would advanced therapies (like an LVAD or transplant) become part of the conversation for me?
- How is my NT-proBNP trending, and what does that trend suggest?
Coronary Artery Disease / Heart Attack Recovery
- How much of my heart muscle was affected, if any?
- Do I need a stent, bypass surgery, or medication alone?
- How long will I need dual antiplatelet therapy, and what happens if I miss a dose?
- When can I safely resume exercise, driving, work, and sexual activity?
- What's my personal risk of another event, and what specifically reduces it?
Atrial Fibrillation
- What is my calculated stroke risk, and does it mean I need a blood thinner?
- Are we pursuing rate control, rhythm control, or both?
- Is ablation an option for me, and what would that involve?
- What triggers should I personally watch for (alcohol, caffeine, sleep, stress)?
- Have we checked for sleep apnea as a contributing cause?
Valve Disease
- Which valve is affected, and is it stenosis, regurgitation, or both?
- How severe is it, and how often will it be monitored going forward?
- What symptoms or measurements would trigger a conversation about repair or replacement?
- If I need a procedure, what are my options — surgical versus catheter-based — and why is one recommended for me specifically?
Family Screening & Genetic Testing
- Is my condition one where genetic testing is recommended?
- If I test positive, what does that mean for my children or siblings?
- What is the penetrance of my specific variant, if known — and what does that mean in practice for my monitoring?
- Should I meet with a genetic counselor before or after testing?
Heart Transplant Evaluation
- What does the evaluation process involve, and how long does it typically take?
- What would make me ineligible, and is there anything I can do to improve my candidacy?
- What is my expected wait time, realistically, for my blood type and situation?
- What happens to my care while I'm waiting?
- Who else should be part of my support team during this process?
LVAD
- Is this being considered as a bridge to transplant or as long-term (destination) therapy?
- What does my daily life realistically look like with the device?
- Who will train me and my caregiver on driveline care, and when?
- What's our emergency plan if the device alarms or I lose power?
- How often will I be seen, and by whom, going forward?
Pulmonary Hypertension
- Which of the five PH groups do I have, and how confident are we in that classification?
- Am I being treated by a pulmonary hypertension specialist, my cardiologist, or both — and who does what?
- What tests will be used to monitor my right heart function over time?
- Is CTEPH (Group 4) ruled out, and how?
- What symptoms should prompt an urgent call versus routine follow-up?
Starting a New Medication
- What is this medication for, specifically, in my case?
- How will we know if it's working?
- What side effects are common, and which ones need an urgent call?
- Does it interact with anything else I'm taking, including OTC drugs and supplements?
- Is this a lifelong medication, or will we reassess at some point?
Getting a Pacemaker or ICD
- Was this device recommended to prevent a first dangerous event, or in response to one that already happened?
- How long will my driving restriction last, and does it depend on what my device does going forward?
- What specifically should I do if I feel a shock?
- When is my next in-person device check, and how does remote monitoring fit in between visits?
- What's my device's expected battery life, and how will I know when a replacement is coming?