A surgeon explains the Echocardiogram, its Purpose, Advantages, and Limitations

ORLANDO, Fla. - April 2, 2019 - PRLog -- Echocardiogram is one of the most important tests for diagnosing problems in the structure and function of heart. Medical doctor and surgeon Kamal Pourmoghadam, MD has published an informational article on this subject. The complete article will be published on the Blog of Dr. Pourmoghadam at https://drpourmoghadam.home.blog/

Due to the fact that it provides a lot of information about the structure, size, movement, and functioning of the heart, echocardiogram is one of the essential procedures in the field of cardiology. In order to visualize the movement and functioning of the heart, sound waves are sent to the patient's heart via a specialized device. As waves reach the heart, they bounce off and create a visual of the heart on a screen. The test can be divided into the following four types:

1. Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) – the most commonly performed procedure
2. Stress echocardiogram – performed at two different times, at rest and after performing a physical activity, to identify decreased blood flow and determine the cause of chest pain
3. Doppler echocardiogram
4. Transesophageal echocardiogram

An echocardiogram is performed to identify any abnormality in the functioning and structure of the heart. The test not only allows cardiologists to examine the anatomy of heart from different angles, but also enables them to observe the heart rhythms.

A doctor may prescribe an echocardiogram to patients who complain of constant fatigue for no apparent reason, shortness of breath, and/or fainting. It is also suggested when a doctor suspects structural problems in a patient's heart, due to the presence of heart murmur.

An echocardiogram is useful in identifying a number of underlying health conditions, such as:
* Since the test allows the cardiologists to see the movement of heart valves, they can detect any problem in the functioning of heart valves.
* A cardiac echo also helps to evaluate congenital heart disease – a term used for problem in the structure of the heart that is present by birth.
* By assessing the movement of the heart, the test helps to identify if a patient is suffering from cardiac arrhythmia i.e. irregular heart rhythm. It can also help the doctor determine the exact cause of the problem.
* Echo can also help to measure impaired blood flow that happens in certain heart conditions, like aortic stenosis. For that, a special microphone (called Doppler) is used to measure the speed with which the blood is flowing through different parts of the heart.
* The cardiac echo test also helps to measure the effectiveness of different heart treatments. This is done by measuring the left ventricular ejection fraction. Ejection fraction is the comparison of the amount of blood in a heart ventricle at the beginning and the end of a heartbeat. A measuring of ejection fraction helps cardiologists assess the heart's ability to pump blood.
* Any abnormality in the size and shape of the heart can easily be diagnosed with the help of an echo.
* It also enables doctors to spot any damage in the cardiac tissues, its severity, and exact location.

By helping to identify many underlying heart conditions and their exact causes (in some cases), the echocardiogram procedure enables cardiologists to treat certain heart conditions before they get worse and pose serious health risks. It also helps to design effective treatment plans for patients with existing heart problems as well as to monitor the effects of treatment.

*** Kamal Pourmoghadam, MD, is a pediatric cardiac surgeon at The Heart Center at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. He is board certified in general surgery, cardiothoracic surgery and congenital cardiac surgery.

Website: https://kamalpourmoghadam.com
Blog: https://drpourmoghadam.home.blog/