If you currently feel any pain in your chest or have shortness of breath, you might want to go to a doctor to find out if you may have heart problems. A lot of people suffer from heart problems, but doctors can treat most of these problems if they discover them early.
When you visit a doctor, he or she might recommend getting an echocardiogram, which is a test used to locate problems with the heart. Here are several reasons you may need one of these tests, as well as the types of issues a doctor can find through echocardiograms.
Doctors order
echocardiograms for a lot of reasons, but the main reason is simply to see what is going on with a person's heart. If you visit a doctor for issues you are having with your heart or if your doctor discovers that you have an irregular heartbeat, he or she may order an echocardiogram.
An echocardiogram is one of the best types of heart tests you can have, yet it is completely painless. This test is basically like an ultrasound. A technician will attach electrodes to your chest and will use a transducer to see inside your chest. Through this, the technician will look for several important things:
- The size of your heart
- Any defects on or near your heart
- Any damage on or near your heart
- The way your heart pumps
- The condition of your heart valves
These are the main components of your heart. If everything looks normal, your heart is probably healthy. If the technician locates any irregularities or problems, your doctor will discuss them with you.
An echocardiogram is very helpful to doctors when they are looking for heart problems, and doctors can find a lot of different types of heart problems by performing an echocardiogram. As the technician takes pictures of your heart, your doctor will review them. Here are some of the common types of problems they can discover through this type of test:
- Blood clots. A blood clot in the heart is dangerous because it can prevent blood from flowing properly. This condition could lead to a stroke, heart attack or other type of heart problem.
- Aorta problems. The aorta is the main artery of the heart, and the heart pumps blood through this. A problem with the aorta requires treatment to fix.
- Heart murmurs. A heart murmur is not typically considered dangerous, but doctors do like to keep an eye on a person's heart if they have a heart murmur.
- Enlarged heart. When a heart is too big, it is often a sign of untreated high blood pressure. This condition can lead to heart failure and other heart-related issues if left untreated.
- Heart valve failure. When any of the valves of your heart do not open and close as they should, you could experience heart failure and other heart problems.
These are just some of the problems doctors can find through echocardiograms, but they are able to find many others too.
An echocardiogram is often the first type of test doctors order when they suspect that a person has a heart problem. Getting this test completed can help you learn more about the condition and health of your heart, and you should follow through with this test if your doctor recommends getting one.
Your heart is a vital organ, and you should undergo as many tests as your doctor orders if he or she suspects you have a heart condition. To learn more about tests used for the heart, contact Anderson Heart PC. We can help you find any problems you may have so you can receive the right treatment for your condition.
