| What can I expect during an echocardiogram? | | | | result in longer test duration. During test, printed |
| Often when you visit a Cardiologist, your doctor | | | | pictures are taken by technician from echo machine |
| suggests you for echocardiography of your heart. It | | | | and later examined by a cardiologist. |
| is basically the ultrasound of Heart to diagnose | | | | What an echocardiogram reveals? What are uses of |
| various diseases of heart. With the help of sound | | | | echocardiography? |
| waves moving picture of heart can be taken. | | | | Echocardiography can reveal many abnormalities of |
| What can I expect during an echocardiogram? | | | | heart. For detail you may read my article" Who |
| Echo is a painless and simple procedure without | | | | should have an Echocardiography". Some |
| involvement of any radiations. There are no known | | | | abnormalities are minor and have no significant risk; |
| hazards or risks associated with echocardiography. | | | | however some problems are very serious that will |
| When you are going to echo room, you will be asked | | | | require further assessment and evaluation by heart |
| to lie down on a bed and disrobe from the waist up. | | | | specialist. Abnormalities can be of wall of heart, |
| Doctor or echocardiographer will place electrode on | | | | Valves, or Pericardium (Thin layer around heart). Echo |
| your chest to record ECG during echocardiography. | | | | can reveal big heart size, thickened walls of heart |
| Small amount of gel is applied on your chest and then | | | | muscles, valvular regurgitation or stenosis, infection or |
| a small transducer will be placed near the sternum on | | | | rheumatic fever, thickened, calcified, torn valve, |
| your chest. Transducer produces sound waves | | | | prosthetic or artificial valve function evaluation, |
| towards the heart. | | | | congenital abnormalities, tumors or thrombus. Echo |
| Echocardiographer may apply some pressure during | | | | can also reveal pumping function of heart which is |
| echo on your chest with transducer. You may be | | | | very important factor for evaluating and treating a |
| asked to turn your side to left or right depending | | | | patient of heart attack. Echocardiograms are useful in |
| upon your technician position. You may be asked to | | | | diagnosing fluid in the pericardium, a thin layer that |
| hold your breath to take high quality pictures. Then | | | | surrounds the heart, so diagnose a very serious |
| technician will move transducer to different parts of | | | | emergency like cardiac temponade, also use-full in |
| chest to take picture of heart from different angles. | | | | recording pressures in heart chambers and pulmonary |
| Sometimes a dye may be injected before taking | | | | artery. In short echocardiography is a miracle in the |
| echo, as occasionally lungs ribs body tissue prevents | | | | field of cardiology diagnostic tests. |
| sound waves to reach heart muscles. If your heart | | | | What can I expect during an echocardiogram ? |
| beat is too fast, then echo may give false result, so | | | | Article is written by Dr. Armughan Riaz M.B.B.S Dip |
| echo is avoided in fast tachycardia. A typical echo is | | | | Card. To Know more about Echocardiogram and |
| performed in about 30-45 minutes. If you have a lung | | | | cardiovascular diseases High blood pressure |
| disease, obesity, restlessness or breathlessness, may | | | | symptoms treatment, please visit our site. |