Symptoms:

• Excessive urination at night
• Fatigue, reduced activity tolerance
• Palpitations (sensation of feeling heart beat)
• Shortness of breath with activity
• Swelling of legs, ankles, or other part of the body (See: abdominal swelling)
• Trouble breathing while lying down

Some patients may have no symptoms.

Signs and tests:

It can be difficult to diagnose cardiac amyloidosis, because the signs can be related to a number of different conditions.

Signs may include:

• Abnormal sounds in the lung (lung crackles) or a heart murmur
• Blood pressure that is low or drops when you stand up
• Enlarged neck veins
• Swollen liver

The following tests may be performed to help diagnose cardiac amyloidosis:

• Chest or abdomen CT scan (this is considered the "gold standard")
• Coronary angiography
• Echocardiogram
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Nuclear heart scans (MUGA, RNV)

An ECG may show problems with the heart beat or heart signals (conduction disturbance).

A cardiac biopsy is used to confirm the diagnosis. A biopsy of another area, such as the abdomen, kidney, or bone marrow, is often done to confirm the diagnosis.