Echocardiogram

Your doctor may suggest an echocardiogram to:

• Check for problems with the valves or chambers of your heart
• Check if heart problems are the cause of symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain
• Detect congenital heart defects before birth (foetal echocardiogram)
• See any blood clots in the heart

Doctors also use echocardiography when they want to examine a person’s general heart health, especially after a heart attack or stroke. The type of echocardiogram you have depends on the information your doctor needs.