It can also reveal if you have had a heart attack in the past. Cardiovascular diseases are often a result of high blood pressure or high cholesterol, which causes blood vessels to narrow and eventually lead to damaged heart muscles. A known complication of cardiovascular disease is myocardial infarction heart attack and stroke. If any of the four heart valves are not opening or closing properly, it may be a sign of heart valve disease, which can affect blood flow to your heart.
Symptoms of heart valve disease are chest pain, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy HCM is a disease of the heart muscles that cause the walls of the heart to thicken. This obstruction can cause blood flow to decrease, which causes the heart to work much harder to pump blood. Another condition that prevents the normal pumping of blood through the heart is pericardial effusion, which is the build-up of fluid in the heart that may be due to a heart attack, an infection of heart tissue, cancer, and complications following heart surgery.
Malfunction of one or more of the heart valves that may cause an abnormality of the blood flow within the heart. The valves can become narrowed and prevent blood from flowing through the heart or out to the lungs and body. The valves can also become leaky with blood flow leaking backwards. An echocardiogram can also check for infection of the heart valve tissue.
Cardiac tumor. A tumor of the heart that may occur on the outside surface of the heart, within one or more chambers of the heart , or within the muscle tissue myocardium of the heart. Pericardial effusion or tamponade. The sac around the heart can become filled with fluid, blood, or infection. This can compress the heart muscle and prevent it from beating and pumping blood normally. This can cause symptoms of feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or a dangerous drop in blood pressure.
Atrial or septal wall defects. Irregular channels between the right and left sides of the heart may be present at birth, or may occur form trauma, or after a heart attack. These defects occur in the upper filling chambers atria or the lower pumping chambers ventricles.
This may cause heart failure or poor blood flow, or increase your risk for stroke. Shunts can be seen in atrial and ventricular septal defects but also when irregular blood flow is pushed through the circulation from the lungs and liver.
This imaging procedure is not invasive and carries little to no risks. You may have discomfort from the positioning of the transducer because it can put pressure on the surface of the body. For some people, having to lie still on the exam table for the length of the procedure may cause some discomfort or pain.
You may have other risks depending on your specific health condition. Discuss any concerns with your doctor before the procedure. Tell your doctor of all prescription and over-the-counter medicines and herbal supplements that you are taking. An echocardiogram ECG may be done on an outpatient basis or as part of your stay in a hospital. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Bonow RO, et al.
Philadelphia, Pa. Accessed Sept. Goldman L, et al. In: Goldman-Cecil Medicine. Zitelli BJ, et al. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Mankad R expert opinion. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. News from Mayo Clinic Understanding heart tests Sept. Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Learn more about this top honor. The sonographer will record images of the heart as the doctor moves the transducer around the esophagus.
The person should not feel the transducer or the tube in their esophagus after initially swallowing the probe. People who have a transesophageal echocardiogram may need to stay at the hospital or healthcare clinic for a few hours after the exam. They may have a sore throat initially, but it should improve within a few hours to a day.
People who received a sedative before the exam should not drive for several hours after the echocardiogram. After the exam, the sonographer will send the echocardiographic images to the doctor who ordered the test. The doctor will review the images and look for signs of heart problems, such as:. People should not confuse an echocardiogram with another diagnostic test called an EKG. An EKG measures the electrical impulses or waves that travel through cardiac muscle tissue.
The electrical activity in the heart causes the heart muscle tissues to contract and relax, which creates the rhythmic heartbeat that people can hear through a stethoscope.
A trained technician, nurse, or doctor can take an EKG by placing electrodes on the skin of the chest, arms, or legs. These electrodes record electrical activity and send the information to a computer that converts it into a graph, which a doctor can print out. An echocardiogram presents a very low risk of side effects or complications.
People may also have a sore throat after the exam. Very rarely, a serious complication can occur as a result of the transesophageal echocardiogram, such as damage to the throat, vocal cords, or esophagus. The use of local anesthetics, sedatives, and contrast dyes during the exam may trigger an allergic reaction in some people.
Contrast dyes can cause the following side effects :. Some people may experience changes in blood pressure or a decrease in the supply of oxygen to the heart during a stress test. A stress test will take place in a fully equipped medical facility in case a person experiences any complications during the exam. Whenever a person receives sedatives, there is a chance that the stomach contents may enter the lungs.
To prevent this, the doctor will ask the individual to attend the procedure with an empty stomach. Doctors use echocardiography to diagnose problems that affect the heart. Doctors can also use echocardiography to look for signs of heart disease, such as weak heart muscle, blood clots inside the heart, or poorly functioning heart valves.
In general, the test carries a low risk of significant complications or side effects.
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