Echocardiogram
A standard echocardiogram is a simple, painless and safe procedure. There are no side effectsfrom the scan, although the lubricating gel may feel cold and you may experience some minor discomfort when the electrodes are removed from your skinat the end of the test.
Unlike some other tests and scans, such as X-rays and computerised tomography (CT) scans , no radiation is used during an echocardiogram. However, there are some risks associated with theless common types of echocardiogram.
You may find the TOE procedure uncomfortable and your throat may feel sore for a few hours afterwards. You won't be able to drive for 24 hours after thetest as you may still feel drowsy from the sedative. There's also a small chance of the probe damaging your throat.
During a stress echocardiogram, you may feel sick and dizzy and you may experience some chest pain . There's also a small chance of the procedure triggering an irregular heartbeat or heart attack, but you'll be monitored carefully during the test and it will be stopped if there are signs of any problems.
Some peoplehave a reaction to the contrast agent used during a contrast echocardiogram. This will often only cause mild symptoms such as itching , but in rare casesa serious allergic reaction can occur.
Read about echocardiograms, including why they're done, what happens during the test, and what the risks are.
An echocardiogram can help diagnose and monitor certain heart conditions by checking the structure of the heart and surrounding blood vessels, analysing how blood flows through them, and assessing the
There are several different ways an echocardiogram can be carried out, but most people will have what's known as a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE). This procedure is outlined below. You won't usua
In some cases, it may be possible for the person carrying out the scan to discuss the results with you soon after it's finished. However, the images from the scan will usually need to be analysed bef
A standard echocardiogram is a simple, painless and safe procedure. There are no side effectsfrom the scan, although the lubricating gel may feel cold and you may experience some minor discomfort when