Echocardiogram (Echo) - Types, Indications, Patient Preparation, Procedure, Risks & Complications

and echocardiogram or Echo is a type of ultrasound scan used to visualize the heart and Associated blood vessels and to analyze the flow of blood through the heart here a small probe is used to send high frequency sound waves that make Echoes when they are deflected by different parts of the body returning Echoes are picked up by the probe and turned into a moving image on a monitor while the scan is carried out an echocardiogram can facilitate the diagnosis of following conditions heart muscle damage following a myocardial infarction heart failure where the heart fails to pump enough blood throughout the body congenital heart disease valvular heart diseases cardiomyopathies where the heart walls become thickened or enlarged compromising the pumping action of the heart an infective endocarditis in addition an echocardiogram is also helpful to decide the precise treatment for a certain condition the test will usually be carried out in a hospital by a cardiologist or a trained cardiac physiologist there are several different types of echocardiograms transthoracic echocardiogram is the most frequently performed type early patient preparation is not required for a transthoracic echo patients are asked to remove the clothing covering the upper part of the body and lie down on a bed after that several electrodes are attached to the chest to monitor the heart rate and Rhythm a lubricating gel will be applied to the chest or directly to the ultrasound probe the probe will be moved across the chest to display images on the monitor the whole procedure usually takes about 15 to 60 minutes and patients can be discharged shortly after the procedure other types of echocardiograms include transesophageal echocardiogram or toe where a small probe is passed down the esophagus into the stomach stress echocardiogram which is carried out during or just after a period of exercise on a treadmill or an exercise bike contrast echocardiogram where a contrast agent is injected into the blood before the procedure this substance shows up clearly on a scan and can help create better images the type of echocardiogram is determined by the condition being assessed for example a stress echocardiogram is recommended if the heart condition is triggered by exertion a standard echocardiogram is a simple painless and a safe procedure although the lubricating gel may feel cold and patients may experience some minor discomfort when the electrodes are removed from the skin unlike some other tests and scans such as X-rays and CT no radiation is used during an echocardiogram however there are some risks associated with the less common types of echocardiograms individuals may find the toe procedure uncomfortable and their throat may feel sore for several hours afterwards in addition people will not be able to drive for 24 hours after the test as they feel drowsy from the sedative during a stress echocardiogram individuals may feel dizzy and they may experience a chest pain also there is a minor chance of the procedure triggering an arrhythmia during a stress echocardiogram however since the patient is monitored throughout the procedure this is not something to worry about some people have a reaction to the contrast agent used during a contrast echocardiogram this usually causes mild symptoms such as itching and rash but in rare cases a serious allergic reaction can occur