Q: What is a MUGA test and what does it indicate? Can we establish how much heart muscle is still alive from this test? The ejection fraction of my father's heart is 25%. How can it be raised and how can we manage proper blood circulation for the whole system? Where can the rest and stress sestamibi nuclear test for the determination of alive heart muscles and blood supply be done? How much does it cost? The doctor says that there is no need of angiography/angioplasty. He has advised dietary restrictions. My father is taking Losartine, Atenolol, Ecosprin and Atorlip. Before this treatment he was on Ramipril, Silekon SL and nitroglyserin etc. After MUGA Test and lipid profile the doctor has changed the treatment. How can we change the drug therapy or increase the ejection fractions. His blood pressure is normal.

A:MUGA (Multiple Gated Acquisition) is a nuclear test which accurately calculates the pumping function of the heart over multiple heart beating cycles gated (timed with the ECG) so that the machine can know when the heart is contracting and dilating). It does not give information whether blood flow to the heart muscle is adequate and whether pumping will improve if blood flow is restored (Viable myocardium). AIIMS has all modalities to detect viable myocardium like dobutamine echo test, Seatamibi, PET, MRI. So if your doctor is not looking at viability there must be a good reason. Many a time the damaged part of the heart muscle is markedly thinned out (this can be known on a simple Echocardiogram)and unlikely to recover function. The medicines are fine.