An echocardiogram is a test which uses sound waves (ultrasound) to examine the heart. This is the same method used on a pregnant woman to look at her baby, but the echocardiogram looks at your heart instead.
The doctor will place lubricating jelly on your chest first. Then they will place the recorder on your chest and a pulse of ultrasound is passed through the skin of your chest. The recorder picks up echoes reflected from various parts of your heart and translates them into a picture on the screen.
The procedure is completely painless and harmless and takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
An echocardiogram can give accurate information about the structure of your heart, its function and its valves .
In some cases, the doctor may wish to do this after your heart has been put under mild stress. In this case, you may be given a drug or asked to exercise briefly, after which the echocardiogram is repeated.
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