If you have heart issues, you may have to undergo several different tests, including an echocardiogram. This type of test shows the different areas of your heart, to monitor certain conditions or the effectiveness of medications. It’s important that you understand what this test does when you have heart issues.
At Lakewood Cardiovascular Consultants, our team helps you get your heart issues under control through a number of different therapies. Dr. Erick Calderon is our expert cardiologist, who uses the most up-to-date studies, including echocardiograms, to give a proper diagnosis.
How an echocardiogram works
An echocardiogram is a type of test that allows Dr. Calderon to see images of your heart using soundwaves. It’s performed using ultrasound, which allows Dr. Calderon to see live pictures of your heart muscle working, along with its valves.
So why do you need an echocardiogram? Dr. Calderon may order this test for a number of different reasons, including to:
- Diagnose heart disease
- Monitor problems with your valves
- Check the effectiveness of heart surgery
- Evaluate medication effectiveness
There are several different types of echocardiograms, and Dr. Calderon evaluates your overall health and wellness to determine which one is right for you. Several of the most common types of echocardiograms include:
- Transesophageal echocardiogram
- Transthoracic echocardiogram
- Stress echocardiogram
- Dobutomine stress echocardiogram
Intravascular ultrasounds are another type of echocardiogram that allows Dr. Calderon to see what’s going on with your heart and heart valves.
Can it show heart problems?
Because an echocardiogram is a type of ultrasound, Dr. Calderon uses it to diagnose a number of different issues within your heart. If you’re having symptoms that he thinks might be a sign of an underlying heart condition, Dr. Calderon recommends an echocardiogram to get to the bottom of the issue.
Echocardiograms have the ability to show a number of different heart conditions, some of which include:
- Blood clots in your heart
- Tumors
- Weak heart muscles
- Heart birth defects
- Heart valve problems
- Changes in the overall size of your heart
- The pumping strength of your heart
Dr. Calderon uses these findings to come up with a plan for treatment of your specific heart condition. While an echocardiogram can’t show every single issue within your heart, it gives Dr. Calderon a good starting point to address any issues you may be having.
After your procedure, Dr. Calderon looks at the results to determine if anything is structurally wrong with your heart. If you’re having symptoms and he finds a problem, Dr. Calderon formulates a treatment plan to get your condition under control.
On the other hand, if you’re having the echocardiogram to evaluate the effectiveness of cardiac surgery, Dr. Calderon lets you know if everything is working as it should. The same goes with medications; if the echocardiogram doesn’t show any problems, then he has you continue your medications as prescribed.
Don’t wait for a heart issue to do permanent damage; call to schedule an appointment with Dr. Calderon at our office in Sarasota County, Florida. You can also reach out and request an appointment online.