When is echocardiography necessary? Echocardiography or echocardiography is a non-invasive imaging method that allows doctors to closely examine the structure and function of the heart. Using sound waves, this test provides a live image of the heart, valves, muscles, and blood flow. But the important question is: When is an echocardiogram necessary? Should everyone do it or only people with certain symptoms?

Echocardiography plays a vital role in diagnosing heart diseases, especially problems that may not cause symptoms in the early stages. In this article, we will examine When is an echocardiogram necessary? exactly 7 warning signs that indicate that it is time to do an echocardiogram and your heart health is at risk.

What is echocardiography and what are its uses?

Before answering the main question When is an echocardiogram necessary?, it is necessary to know what is an echocardiogram and what are its uses:

1. Checking the structure of the heart: Heart echo helps the doctor see the thickness of the walls, the size of the cavities and the condition of the valves.
2. Evaluation of heart function: Blood pumping power by the heart and heart muscle function are determined.
3. Diagnosis of congenital diseases: There are some heart problems from birth that can be identified with echo.
4. Disease follow-up: For people who have a history of heart attack, high blood pressure or valvular problems, echocardiography is an important tool to control the disease process.
5. Diagnosis of heart rhythm and blood pressure disorders: Echocardiography can check blood flow and pressure inside the heart.

With this explanation, it is clear that heart echo is a key tool in the prevention and early detection of heart diseases.

7 warning signs for echocardiography

Now we come to the main part of the article: 7 signs that show when echocardiography is necessary?.

1. Chest pain or pressure

Pain or pressure in the chest area, especially during physical activity or stress, is one of the most common symptoms of heart disease.

• The cause may be coronary artery stenosis or valvular problems.
• In this case, echocardiography helps to detect the extent of damage to the heart and blood flow.
• If the pain is accompanied by shortness of breath or severe sweating, you should see a doctor immediately.

2. Shortness of breath or unusual tiredness

Shortness of breath during light activities or severe fatigue for no apparent reason can be a sign of reduced heart function.

• This symptom is often seen in people with heart muscle weakness or heart failure.
• Having an echocardiogram can show whether the heart is pumping enough blood or if it needs immediate treatment.

3. Irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia

If you notice an irregular heartbeat, fast or slow heartbeat, this is a serious sign.

• Arrhythmia can be caused by structural problems of the heart or its electrical disturbances.
• Echo of the heart helps the doctor examine the valves and chambers of the heart and find the cause of the arrhythmia.

4. Swelling of the legs or abdomen

Liquid retention and swelling in the legs, abdomen or even face can be a sign of heart failure.

• When the heart is not able to pump blood effectively, fluids accumulate in the body.
• In such cases, echocardiography shows the degree of failure and the state of heart function and helps to make treatment decisions.

5. Sudden dizziness or fainting

Dizziness or fainting can be caused by reduced blood flow to the brain.

• Valvular problems or heart failure can reduce blood flow.
• Echo heart can identify the structural or functional problems of the heart that cause these symptoms.

6. Family history of heart disease

People who have a family history of heart attack, heart failure, or valvular disease are at higher risk.

• Even if they do not have obvious symptoms, doing an echocardiogram periodically is recommended.
• This action can detect the disease in the early stages and prevent serious damage.

7. Abnormal changes in blood pressure

Persistently high or low blood pressure can put pressure on the heart.

• High blood pressure causes thickening of the heart muscle and valvular problems.
• Echo of the heart shows the effect of blood pressure on the structure and function of the heart and is very important in the treatment plan.

An echocardiogram, or "echo", is a scan used to look at the heart and nearby blood vessels. It's a type of ultrasound scan, which means a small probe is used to send out high-frequency sound waves that create echoes when they bounce off different parts of the body.

An echocardiogram, or "echo," is a scan used to examine the heart and nearby blood vessels. This is a type of ultrasound scan, which means a small probe is used to send high-frequency sound waves that create echoes when they hit different parts of the body.

Quoted from: nhs.uk

When is an echocardiogram necessary?

After examining the above symptoms, it can be concluded that When is an echocardiogram necessary? If any of the warning signs are observed or the person is in the high-risk group. The key points are:

• Persons over 40 years: Even without symptoms, because of the increased risk of heart disease, periodic examination is recommended.
• Persons with a history of high blood pressure, diabetes or high blood lipids: Echocardiography helps identify hidden damage.
• People with a family history of heart disease: Prevention and early diagnosis are important.
• After a stroke or heart attack: To assess heart function and plan treatment.

Types of heart echo and their use

To better understand the importance of eco, we need to get to know its types:

Echo type	Description
2D Echo (2D Echo)	Classic image of heart structure and valve movement
3D Echo Echo)	More precise details to diagnose complex valve problems
Stress Echo	Examination of heart function during exercise or drug stimulation
Color Doppler	Checking blood flow and the presence of insufficiency or leakage Valve

Using the right type of echo depends on the patient's condition and doctor's diagnosis.

Introducing the best echocardiogram clinic in Tehran

Vistan Clinic is one of the most advanced heart disease diagnosis and treatment centers in the country, which provides accurate and professional services in the field of heart function examination by using the most up-to-date echocardiography devices and a team of experienced specialists. In this clinic, all types of echoes, including two-dimensional, three-dimensional, stress and color echoes are performed with the highest global standards, so that the smallest malfunction of the heart or valves can be detected quickly.

But the question of many patients is When is an echocardiogram necessary? The answer is simple: when you experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations, unusual fatigue or swollen legs, visiting a specialist and performing an echocardiogram can save your life. Even in people who have a history of heart disease in the family or have high blood pressure, it is recommended to do an echo cycle at Vistan Clinic as a preventive measure.

Vistan Clinic provides a safe and professional experience for patients with a calm environment, modern equipment and a humane approach, so that their heart health is maintained in the best condition.

Address: Saadat Abad: Saadat Abad, northwest side of Saro Road (intersection of Paknejad and Saro) - next to Dasht Behesht complex

Contact number: 09180888411 – WhatsApp

Echo heart for prevention or early detection

One of the biggest advantages of echocardiography is diagnosis of disease in the early stages. Even if a person has no symptoms, an echo can detect the following problems:

• Hidden heart failure
• Valvular diseases
• Rhythm disorders
Damage to the heart muscle after a stroke or high blood pressure

Therefore, the exact answer to the question When is an echocardiogram necessary? is that an echocardiogram can be useful both in the presence of symptoms and in high-risk preventive groups.

Guide to echocardiography

Pay attention to the following points to perform echocardiography:

• There is no need to fast before the echo unless the echo is stress.
• Wear comfortable clothes so that access to the chest is easy.
• Inform your doctor if you are taking heart medications.
• The results are analyzed by a cardiologist and additional tests are suggested depending on the need.

What is determined in the heart echo?

Getting an echocardiogram is one of the accurate and painless ways to check heart health. This test helps the doctor to fully evaluate the structure and function of the heart. Echocardiography determines the size and shape of the heart, measures the power of blood pumping, and accurately shows the condition of the heart valves. In addition, the presence of blood clots or fluid around the heart as well as congenital defects or possible vascular problems can also be detected with echo.

If you are wondering When is an echocardiogram necessary? you should know that if you observe symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, or an irregular heartbeat, doing this test can play an important role in the timely diagnosis of heart diseases.

Introduction of the best echocardiographic doctor in Tehran

Name	Address	Contact number
Vistan Clinic	Sadat Abad, north-west side of Servo intersection (Paknejad and Servo intersection), next to Dasht Complex Behesht	09180888411
Dr. Farideh Roshan Ali	Valiasr Street	—
Mohrdad Jafari Pashkari	Pirozi Street	—
Seyd Jalal Saidi	Starkhan	—
Nilofar Samii	Tehran	—
Azin Alizadeh Asl	Tehran	—

Advantages and disadvantages of echocardiography

Echo of the heart is one of the most widely used methods of diagnosing heart diseases which has advantages and of course limitations. One of the most important advantages of echocardiography is non-invasiveness, high accuracy in diagnosis, reasonable cost and no need for harmful radiation. This method allows the doctor to check the function of the valves, blood flow, the thickness of the heart muscle and the presence of any abnormality.

On the other hand, advantages or limitations of echocardiography include poor image quality in obese people or people with lung diseases and the need for high physician experience in interpreting the results. Also, in some cases it may be necessary to do an echo through the esophagus or more advanced methods for a deeper investigation.

If you are wondering When is a heart echo necessary? It should be said that whenever you have symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat or unusual fatigue, doing an echo can help quickly identify the cause and prevent serious heart problems.

What terms are shown in Echo?

• EF: the contractile function of the heart, the normal contractile function of the heart is 50-65%.
• MR: mitral valve insufficiency
• AI: Aortic valve insufficiency
• TR: tricuspid valve regurgitation
• PI: Pulmonary valve insufficiency
• MS: mitral valve stenosis
• AS: Aortic valve stenosis
• TS: tricuspid valve stenosis
• PS: Pulmonary valve stenosis
• MVP: mitral valve prolapse
• Trivial
• Mild
• Moderate
• Severe
• PE: pericardial effusion or accumulation of fluid around the pericardium

The difference between an echocardiogram and an electrocardiogram (ECG)

At first glance, echocardiography and electrocardiogram (ECG) may both seem to check heart health, but these two tests are fundamentally different from each other. In the following, we point out their most important differences so that you know better when an echocardiogram is necessary and under what conditions an echocardiogram is sufficient:

Type of examination: An electrocardiogram records the electrical activity of the heart in a few seconds, while an echocardiogram shows the actual structure and function of the heart using sound waves.

Purpose of the test: ECG is used to diagnose arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) and heart attacks, but echocardiography is used to check the pumping power, the condition of the valves, and the presence of clots or fluid around the heart.

Level of accuracy: ECG may be normal at rest, but there is still a hidden disease; In these cases, Echo can reveal the problem.

Performance time: ECG is fast and simple and can be done in a few minutes, but Echo heart is a bit more time-consuming and provides more complete information. gives

Usage in disease follow-up: The doctor usually performs an ECG first, and if the results are suspicious or the patient has symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain, then it will be clear when an echocardiogram is necessary and it will be necessary for a more detailed investigation.

What factors affect the accuracy of the echo result?

The accuracy of echocardiogram results depends on various factors, and knowing them helps the patient to get the best possible result from this test. The quality of the echo machine, the skill and experience of the doctor or technician in performing and interpreting the test are the most important factors. Also, a person's physical condition, such as obesity, lung diseases or previous surgeries in the chest area, can reduce image clarity.

Furthermore, the patient moving a lot during the echo or taking certain medications may affect the accuracy of the results. Using modern equipment and following the doctor's recommendations before doing an echo will increase the accuracy of diagnosis. If you want to know when a heart echo is necessary, you should note that visiting specialized centers and choosing an experienced doctor plays an important role in the accuracy of the results and accurate diagnosis of heart diseases.

What factors affect the accuracy of echo results?

The accuracy of echocardiogram results is affected by several factors. Knowing these factors helps the patient to get the best and most accurate results. If you want to know when an echocardiogram is necessary, it is especially important to pay attention to these factors:

1. Skills and experience of the doctor or technician: Correctly performing the echo and correctly interpreting the images requires high expertise.
2. Echo device quality: The use of advanced and modern devices increases image clarity and diagnosis accuracy.
3. Physical condition of the patient: Severe obesity, lung diseases or previous surgeries of the chest area can reduce the quality of the image.
4. Patient movement during echo: Instability or body movement during the test can disturb the result.
5. Use of certain medications: Some medications can temporarily change the heart's function and affect the results.
6. Selected echo type: Two-dimensional, three-dimensional, color or stress echo are suitable for different diagnoses, and the wrong choice can reduce accuracy.
7. Follow pre-test instructions: such as avoiding certain foods or medications before the stress echo, which can improve the quality of the results.

Advantages of doing echo in specialized clinics like Vistan

Doing echocardiography in specialized clinics such as Vistan has many advantages that can significantly increase the accuracy and quality of heart disease diagnosis. Among the most important advantages, the following can be mentioned:

1. Advanced and modern equipment: Specialized clinics use high-tech echo machines that improve the clarity of images and the accuracy of diagnosis.
2. Experienced doctors and technicians: High experience and expertise of medical staff in interpreting echo results plays an important role in correct diagnosis.
3. Echo types for different needs: In specialized clinics, you can perform different types of echo, such as two-dimensional, three-dimensional, color and stress, so that the best type can be selected depending on the patient's condition.
4. Calm and well-equipped environment: Performing echo in a standard and calm environment reduces the patient's stress and improves the quality of the images.
5. Follow-up and expert advice: After the echo, the specialist doctor will review the results and provide a detailed treatment plan.

If you want to know when an echocardiogram is necessary, visiting specialized clinics like Vistan will ensure that your test is performed with the highest accuracy and the probability of timely diagnosis of heart diseases will increase.

Frequently asked questions about when is an echocardiogram necessary?

Summary

Echocardiography is a vital tool in the diagnosis and follow-up of heart diseases. When is an echocardiogram necessary? When a person experiences any of the following warning signs:

Chest pain or pressure Shortness of breath or abnormal fatigue
1. Irregular heartbeat
2. Swelling of the legs or abdomen
3. Sudden dizziness or fainting
4. Family history of heart disease
Abnormal changes in blood pressure

In addition, people at high risk of heart disease, people over 40, and those with a history of high blood pressure or diabetes should also have periodic echocardiograms. Performing echo on time can prevent serious heart damage and determine the appropriate treatment plan.