The echocardiogram is an exam that serves to assess, in real time, some characteristics of the heart, such as size, shape of the valves, thickness of the muscle and the capacity of the heart to function, in addition to blood flow. This test also allows you to see the state of the great vessels of the heart, pulmonary artery and aorta, at the time the test is being performed.
This test is also called echocardiography or ultrasound of the heart, and it has several types, such as one-dimensional, two-dimensional and doppler, which are requested by the doctor according to what he wishes to evaluate.
Price
The price of the echocardiogram is approximately 80 reais, depending on where the exam will be performed.
What is it for
An echocardiogram is an exam used to assess the functioning of the heart of people with or without cardiac symptoms, or who have chronic cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension or diabetes. Some examples of indications are:
- Cardiac function analysis; Cardiac wall size and thickness analysis; Valve structure, valve malformations and visualization of blood output; Calculation of cardiac output, which is the amount of blood pumped per minute; Fetal echocardiography may indicate congenital heart disease; Changes in the membrane that lines the heart; Assess symptoms such as shortness of breath, excessive tiredness; Diseases such as heart murmur, thrombi in the heart, aneurysm, pulmonary thromboembolism, esophageal diseases; Investigate masses and tumors in the heart; In amateur or professional athletes.
There is no contraindication for this test, which can be done even on babies and children.
Types of echocardiogram
There are the following types of this exam:
- Transthoracic echocardiogram: it is the most commonly performed exam; Fetal echocardiogram: performed during pregnancy to assess the baby's heart and identify diseases; Doppler echocardiogram: especially indicated for assessing blood flow through the heart, especially useful in valvulopathies; Transesophageal echocardiogram: it is indicated to also evaluate the region of the esophagus in search of diseases.
This examination can also be performed in a one-dimensional, or two-dimensional way, which means that the generated images evaluate 2 different angles at the same time, and in a three-dimensional form, which evaluates 3 dimensions at the same time, being more modern and credible.
How the echocardiogram is done
The echocardiogram is usually performed at the cardiologist's office or at an imaging clinic, and lasts 15 to 20 minutes. The person just needs to lie on the stretcher on his stomach or on the left side, and remove the shirt and the doctor applies a little gel on the heart and slides the ultrasound equipment that generates images to a computer, from several different angles.
During the examination, the doctor may ask the person to change position or perform specific breathing movements.
Exam preparation
For the performance of simple, fetal or transthoracic echocardiography, no type of preparation is necessary. However, whoever is going to do the transesophageal echocardiogram is recommended not to eat in the 3 hours before the exam. It is not necessary to stop taking any medication before taking this test.
