Echocardiogram

An echo is an ultrasound of the heart. We look at your heart in different views. We look at the walls of the heart, the 4 heart chambers, the 4 heart valves, and the blood flow through the heart. We measure the thickness of the walls of the heart, measure the size of the heart chambers, and measure the velocity of blood flow through the heart valves. This test gives us a good idea of your heart function.

Steps for procedure:

1. No preparation needed.

Education about the procedure:

This test is a noninvasive test. It takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes to perform. You can eat and take your regular medicines.

Questions I may have about the procedure:

1. Why do I need to have this procedure?
To evaluate your heart function.

2. When and how will I find out about my results?
Your echo will be read and interpreted by the cardiologist usually within 24 hours. Your test results will either be called to you or we will send you a letter.