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Echocardiogram

Upper East Side Cardiology

Cardiovascular Disease & Vein Specialist located in Upper East Side, New York, NY

An echocardiogram can help diagnose heart problems before they cause serious complications. Satjit Bhusri, MD, founded Upper East Side Cardiology to provide the most advanced cardiac care for New York City residents at the practice location in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. If you’re having heart-related issues, call Upper East Side Cardiology or schedule an appointment online today.

Echocardiogram Q & A

What is an echocardiogram?

An echocardiogram is a type of digital imaging that uses soundwaves to create pictures of your heart. This test enables the team at Upper East Side Cardiology to detect heart disease by evaluating its ability to beat and pump blood.

There are several types of echocardiograms, including:

  • Transthoracic — a transducer is pressed against your chest to create images
  • Transesophageal — a transducer is guided down your esophagus to capture images
  • Doppler — tracks blood flow speed and direction through your heart
  • Stress — evaluates heart activity associated with physical exertion

Your provider at Upper East Side Cardiology also does nuclear stress tests to assess your heart health. During this type of stress test, radioactive dye is injected into your bloodstream to identify blocked or partially blocked arteries in your heart.

Why do I need an echocardiogram?

Your provider might recommend an echocardiogram to evaluate the health of your heart’s valves and chambers in addition to your heartbeat. An echocardiogram can reveal several heart issues, including:

  • Size
  • Defects
  • Damage
  • Blood clots
  • Aorta issues
  • Pump strength
  • Valve problems
  • Fluid around the heart

What can I expect during an echocardiogram?

An echocardiogram usually requires no advanced preparation and no downtime.

After you undress from the waist up, you lay down on an examination table, and sticky electrodes are attached to your body to conduct and detect your heart’s electrical currents. Your provider sends the images to a monitor for review

When your echocardiogram is underway, the lights are often dimmed to provide a clearer display on the monitor. For transthoracic echocardiograms, your provider at Upper East Side Cardiology applies gel to your chest to improve the conduction of soundwaves. You may be asked to move or breathe in certain ways to help the team capture the visuals needed of your heart.

For echocardiograms performed by way of your esophagus, a numbing agent is administered by gel or spray to your throat. Your provider might also provide a sedative to keep you relaxed during the procedure.

The duration of your echocardiogram depends on your condition but usually takes less than an hour. Based on your results, your provider either provides an assessment of your condition or recommends additional diagnostic testing like CT scans or coronary angiograms to look for additional issues.

To schedule an echocardiogram, call Upper East Side Cardiology or book an appointment online today.