What all does an echocardiogram detect?
2007-09-07 03:46:45 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Heart Diseases
The echocardiogram allows doctors to evaluate heart murmurs, check the pumping function of the heart, and evaluate patients who have had heart attacks. It is a very good screening test for heart disease in certain groups of patients.
Please see the web pages for more details and tutorials on Echocardiogram.
2007-09-07 07:40:18 · answer #1 · answered by gangadharan nair 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What information does Echocardiography and Doppler provide?
Echocardiography is an invaluable tool in providing the doctor with important information about the following:
Size of the chambers of the heart, including the dimension or volume of the cavity and the thickness of the walls. The appearance of the walls may also help identify certain types of heart disease that predominantly involve the heart muscle. In patients with long standing hypertension or high blood pressure, the test can determine the thickness and "stiffness" of the LV walls. When the LV pump function is reduced in patients with heart failure, the LV and RV tends to dilate or enlarge. Echocardiography can measure the severity of this enlargement. Serial studies performed on an annual basis can gauge the response of treatment.
Pumping function of the heart can be assessed by echocardiography. One can tell if the pumping power of the heart is normal or reduced to a mild or severe degree. This measure is known as an ejection fraction or EF. A normal EF is around 55 to 65%. Numbers below 45% usually represent some decrease in the pumping strength of the heart, while numbers below 30 to 35% are representative of an important decrease.
2007-09-07 10:50:59 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Am not a doctor, but I think it detects the irregularities, if any, of how the heart beats. Thus giving the initial signs of arterial blockage.
2007-09-07 10:51:49 · answer #3 · answered by paolorey 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In consistencies within the heart. How the valves work, how the blood flows through the arteries and vessels, if there are weaknesses in any of them suck as back flow not getting enough oxygen.
It is really quite a neat diagnostic tool.
2007-09-07 10:51:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Disfunctional valves and arteries. Blood Clots, and infarctions.
2007-09-07 10:50:14 · answer #5 · answered by Pascal 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
it detects the electrical activity of the heart.
http://www.medicinenet.com/electrocardiogram_ecg_or_ekg/article.htm
2007-09-07 10:50:20 · answer #6 · answered by essentiallysolo 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋