Echocardiography is a medical test procedure that uses sound waves to produce images of a person’s heart, called echocardiograms, that are used by doctor’s to assess how well heart valves are functioning. This type of test is very safe for the patient since it doesn’t involve x-rays or invasive surgical procedures.
The main benefits of this technique are that a physician can get information about potential heart problems including the following:
• Blood clots forming in heart chambers
• Fluid being present in the heart sac
• Problems with the aorta (the main artery associated with the heart)
• Problems with the heart’s blood pumping function and any relaxation of this function
• Issues with the heart valves
• Any other pressures that are being applied to the heart
An echocardiogram is a key test for determining the healthy function of a person’s heart muscle and can even detect heart issues in an unborn child.
