Introduction
If you’ve been experiencing symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, or irregular heartbeats, your doctor may recommend an echocardiogram. But what exactly is it, and how do you know if it’s the right test for you? An echocardiogram (echo or ECG) is “the most cost-effective, safe and portable tool for cardiac diagnosis”. Cardiologists also use echos to check heart function.
What is Echocardiogram
Echo uses sound waves to make pictures of your beating heart- the atria, ventricles, valves, aorta, arteries, and veins attached to your heart. From the echo, your cardiologist can see the size and shape of your heart, the thickness and movement of your heart muscle, how well the chambers and valves in your heart are working, and the force with which your hearts contracts. This information allows your cardiologist to determine if your heart and valves are working correctly and shows the health of your heart muscle and blood vessels in and around the heart. Your cardiologist can calculate the ejection fraction and identify and problems with your heart, valves or blood vessels.
In some cases, procedures like Coronary Angioplasty may be required to restore normal blood flow to the heart. This procedure helps open narrowed or blocked coronary arteries, improving oxygen-rich blood supply. An echocardiogram plays a crucial role in assessing heart function before and after the procedure, ensuring that the heart is responding well to the intervention.
The most useful facts about Echocardiogram are listed below:
- Acute myocardial infarction or heart attack
- Cardia arrhythmia or abnormal heart rhythms
- Acute cerebrovascular disease or loss of blood flow to the brain such as in a stroke
- Congestive heart failure also called CHF
- Sepsis, a life threatening response to an infection
It is important to remember that echo is not for everyone. There are a list of medical conditions which require an echocardiogram and you should get in touch with your doctor for that.
Why Might You Need an Echocardiogram?
You might be a candidate for an echocardiogram if you are:
- Experiencing symptoms like chest discomfort, dizziness, or fatigue
- Diagnosed with high blood pressure or other heart-related conditions
- Recovering from a heart attack
- Living with a congenital heart defect
- Scheduled for a surgical procedure that needs a heart health assessment
Types of Echocardiograms
Depending on your condition, your doctor may recommend one of the following:
Doppler Echocardiogram – focuses on blood flow and pressure inside the heart
Transthoracic Echocardiogram (TTE) – the standard echo done through the chest wall
Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE) – involves inserting a probe down the esophagus for clearer images
Stress Echocardiogram – done before and after exercise to see how your heart responds to stress
The transthoracic echo test is, on the other hand, helps find out congenital defects within it. If a patient has met with a surgery then its efficacy is easily detectable with this test. Therefore, if you have met with a heart failure or a heart attack or suspect of thickening of lining around the heart, or collection of fluids around the hear, then all this is detectable only through this test.
Meet Dr. Mahesh Ghogare – Expert Cardiologist
Dr. Mahesh Ghogare, a DM Cardiology specialist from LTMMC & LTMGH, Sion Hospital, Mumbai, has extensive experience in adult and pediatric cardiology. He has served as an Assistant Professor and later joined Seven Hills Hospital, Andheri, where he mastered radial-route coronary angiographies and angioplasties, performing over 3,000 angiographies and 500 angioplasties. His expertise includes complex 2D/3D echocardiograms, pediatric cardiac interventions (ASD, PDA, MAPCA ligation), pacemaker implantations, CRT, ICD, and carotid and renal angioplasties. With numerous national and international publications, he is a recognized speaker at medical conferences and actively raises public awareness about heart diseases. He is adept at handling cardiac emergencies, OPD consultations, and international patients.
If you suspect any heart-related issues, consult a cardiologist for the appropriate tests and timely intervention.
