General heart health FAQs

View our short videos designed specifically to answer all your questions about heart health, including tests available at London Heart.

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What is an echocardiogram?

An echocardiogram (echo) is a test that involves scanning your heart and neighbouring blood vessels. Other names for it include heart sonogram and heart ultrasound. It is non-invasive, meaning we do not typically need to pierce your skin or enter your body to perform it.

Types

We carry out various types slightly differently to identify specific problems with your heart. Your overall health will also influence which type we recommend.

Types include:

  • Transthoracic echo or TTE – this is the standard echo 
  • Transoesophageal echo or TOE  
  • Bubble study 
  • Stress echo  
  • Foetal echo 

 Our cardiologist (heart specialist) will let you know how to prepare for your test and answer any questions about how it will work.

How do I prepare?

Before we begin, you’ll need to remove the clothes on your upper half, including a bra if you wear one. We can provide a gown to cover yourself with if you prefer. You should take off any necklaces and other jewellery or items that could obstruct the test. 

If you are having a TOE, we will ask you to stop eating and drinking for 6 hours before your test. We explain why this is below. You may be able to have small sips of water if you need to take a scheduled medication. We will also provide a sedative to relax you before this test, so you should arrange a lift home afterwards. 

What happens during an echocardiogram?

During the TTE test, we place small electrodes (sticky patches) with wires attached to your chest to monitor your heart rhythm. We then run a small probe called a transducer over your chest with a lubricating gel. This probe sends sound waves through your body. We connect it to a machine that produces and displays your heart’s structure.

The pitch is too high to hear, but the sound waves create an image of your heart’s walls and valves. This image allows us to see how your heart looks and identify structural problems, such as thickening or thinning of the heart’s wall.

You might hear a quiet swishing noise. This is the sound of your blood travelling through your heart. This part of the test uses Doppler signals, which are sound waves measuring the direction and speed of blood flow in your heart and blood vessels. We might perform the test this way if we suspect you have a leaky or blocked heart valve.

TOE

A TOE involves passing a small probe down your throat to get a more detailed view of your heart and aortic valve from your oesophagus (food pipe). You will need to lie on your side for us to do this. Before we insert the probe, we will numb your throat with an anaesthetic spray. We may not recommend this test if you have problems with your food pipe. 

Bubble study

A bubble study, also known as a bubble echo or a bubble saline contrast echo, combines an echo with an injection of saline microbubbles. Saline is sterile salty water. As it travels through your blood, it can help us identify a small flap or hole in your heart, such as an atrial septal defect (ASD) or patent foramen ovale (PFO).

Stress echo

A stress echo involves increasing your heart rate through exercise or a dobutamine injection. We’ll perform a resting echocardiogram before injecting the dobutamine or asking you to exercise. You may use a treadmill or an exercise bike for the exercise stress test. Visit our page to learn more about this test: Stress echocardiogram.

Recovery and side effects

The echocardiogram will take around 15 to 60 minutes, depending on the type. If you have a TOE, we may monitor you for a few hours while the sedative wears off. You should be able to continue your usual daily activities unless you need to rest after a TOE.  

Most people won’t experience side effects after an echo, though a stress echo can make you feel sick or dizzy, and a TOE can cause a sore throat. After a TOE with sedation, you should not drive for 24 hours.

Your results

You may need further tests if your echo shows no signs of a heart problem even though you have concerning symptoms. However, if you had an echo as part of a heart health check, you’ll likely need no more tests. If you have abnormal results, we will tailor a treatment plan that suits your needs.

Abnormal results

An echocardiogram can help identify many heart problems and conditions, including:

  • Aneurysm 
  • Pericarditis 
  • Heart failure 
  • Cardiomyopathy 
  • Heart attack damage 
  • Bacterial endocarditis 
  • Blood clots or tumours 
  • Problems with the aorta 
  • Congenital heart defects 
  • Structural changes in the heart 
  • Weak or damaged heart valves 
  • Atherosclerosis (clogged arteries) 
  • Pericardial effusion or tamponade 

After the echo, we will discuss your results and plan our next steps together. We can usually assess and discuss your results on the same day as the echo. Treatment options can include lifestyle changes, medications, and surgery, depending on the cause and its severity. 

Frequently asked questions

How much is a private echocardiogram?

At London Heart Clinic, our echocardiograms start from £495. The prices may vary depending on the type of scan.

Do I need to have symptoms to have an echo?

No, you can assess your heart health with one of our heart screening packages.

Does it hurt?

A standard echo should not hurt, but the lubricating gel may feel a bit cold. A TOE and stress echo can both feel a little uncomfortable, though our specialists do all we can to minimise your discomfort.

What are the alternatives?

Alternatives to an echo include a cardiac MRI, a cardiac CT scan, a cardiac CT angiography (CTA) and a radionuclide test. Which tests we recommend will depend on your symptoms and what we are looking for specifically.

Book an appointment

An echo can determine which heart condition is causing your symptoms. An early diagnosis can prevent complications and identify your risk of other problems.

Our expert cardiologist, Dr Syed Ahsan, offers private cardiac diagnostic tests, including echocardiograms, at our heart clinic. Book an appointment today to assess your heart health. 

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