An upcoming echocardiogram may have you on edge and feeling anxious. While it’s natural to worry about what the result might reveal about your heart, you don’t need to fret about how to prepare for the procedure.
Echocardiograms require minimal to no preparation, depending on the type of echocardiogram. Laura Fernandes, MD, FACC, and the Woodlands Heart and Vascular Institute team understand your stress and do everything possible to ease your concerns.
We discuss what to expect during the echocardiogram, answer your questions, and explain what (if anything) you should do to prepare.
In the meantime, here’s a rundown of the different types of echocardiograms and the basics of preparing for each.
An echocardiogram is a remarkable diagnostic test capable of revealing the details about the health of your heart and blood vessels. The test uses safe ultrasound (sound waves) to create images showing the structures, blockages, blood flow, and muscle contractions.
You can’t feel the sound waves. You only feel the gentle pressure of the device (transducer) we use to generate the sound waves.
The sound waves pass through your body, bounce off the tissues they encounter, and return to the transducer. Then, a computer uses that information to produce the images.
There are three types of echocardiograms, each with its own procedure and preparation instructions.
During a transthoracic echocardiogram, we place a handheld transducer against the skin above your heart and move it around until the sound waves reveal the targeted structures.
The gel on the end of the transducer feels cool. You feel the transducer moving against your skin and may hear the sound of blood flowing through your heart. We may ask you to change your position or hold your breath for a short time.
Preparation: This type of echocardiogram doesn’t require special preparation. You can eat or drink before the ultrasound, take your usual medications, and wear comfortable clothes. Before the test, we ask you to remove your shirt and wear a hospital gown.
You may need a transesophageal echocardiogram if we need more details about a specific problem.
We perform this ultrasound from inside your esophagus, where it can produce sharper images of your heart because structures like your lungs and ribs aren’t in the way.
After numbing your throat and giving you sedation, we guide a flexible tube holding a small ultrasound transducer into the esophagus. When the probe is in the section of the esophagus next to your heart, we send out the sound waves to create images.
Preparation: Transesophageal echocardiograms require more advanced preparation than a transthoracic procedure.
We explain the details about your preparation based on your overall health and symptoms. As a general guideline, most people should:
We will let you know when you need to stop eating and drinking, but expect it to be six hours or more before your scheduled procedure.
A stress echocardiogram involves having a transthoracic echocardiogram, taking an exercise stress test, and having a second echocardiogram after the stress test.
We compare the before and after images to identify problems that occur when exercise forces your heart to work harder than usual.
Preparation: Though you don’t need to prepare for the transthoracic echocardiogram, the stress test requires the same pre-procedure steps as a transesophageal echocardiogram. You should also dress in comfortable clothes and supportive walking shoes.
Whether you need to schedule an echocardiogram or have questions about the procedure, we’re here to help and offer support. Call the Woodlands Heart and Vascular Institute office today.
