Echocardiogram
An ultrasound of your heart that shows its size, valves and how strongly it pumps - with no radiation.
TypeImaging — ultrasound
HowGel and a probe on your chest for 30–60 minutes.
How oftenWhen symptoms or findings call for it; repeated to follow a known issue.
BeforeNo special preparation.
WhoPeople with breathlessness, a murmur, swelling or a family history of heart muscle disease.
Seeing how your heart actually moves
An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart. It shows the size of the chambers, how strongly the muscle pumps and whether the valves open and close properly - with no radiation.
Pumping
“Is my heart pumping well?”
Shows how much blood is pushed out with each beat.
Function
Structure
“Is the muscle thick or enlarged?”
Long-term high blood pressure can thicken the walls.
Shape
Valves
“Is that murmur a problem?”
Shows whether valves leak or are narrowed.
Flow
Is it right for you?
Worth considering if…
- You’re breathless or tire easily without a clear reason.
- A doctor heard a heart murmur.
- You have swollen ankles or a raised NT-proBNP.
- A close relative has a heart muscle condition.
A better option if…
- You want to know about plaque in your arteries - a calcium score or CT angiogram answers that.
- You have no symptoms or findings - routine echo screening isn’t recommended.
How it’s measured
Transthoracic echo
The standard test - probe on the chest.
Stress echo
Images before and after exercise to see how the heart responds.
Transesophageal echo
A probe passed into the esophagus for closer views - only when needed.
The full picture
What is it?
An ultrasound scan of the heart.
What type of test is it?
An imaging test using sound waves.
What does it measure?
Heart chamber size, wall thickness, valve function and ejection fraction - how much blood is pumped with each beat.
Why might someone consider it?
It explains many causes of breathlessness, murmurs and swelling.
Who is it most relevant for?
People with symptoms, abnormal ECGs, murmurs or relevant family history.
How is it performed?
You lie on your side while a technician moves a probe across your chest.
How often might it be considered?
As needed; repeated to monitor valve or muscle conditions.
What can the result help you understand?
Whether your heart’s structure and pumping are normal.
What are its limitations?
It doesn’t show the coronary arteries or early plaque, and image quality varies with body shape.
What should it be viewed with?
Symptoms, ECG, NT-proBNP and blood pressure history.
Where to get it
Through your provider
A referral to cardiology or a hospital heart centre.
Cardiology clinics
Most offer this test on site.
Imaging & hospital centres
Some accept self-referral - check coverage first.
Names are examples only, not endorsements. Your provider can often order the same test - and help interpret it.
Connected to
Questions to ask your provider
- What would an echo tell us about my symptoms?
- Is my pumping function normal?
- Do I need follow-up scans?
Ziva Health
One test is a snapshot. Ziva shows the whole story.
Ziva brings your lab results, wearables and daily readings together - and Isabella tells you what’s changing and what to ask your provider next.
Refer Ziva to my provider / care team
Is your provider not on Ziva yet? Send them a link in under a minute - once they join, they’ll see your Echocardiogram result alongside your other trends and get alerts directly.
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Bring your Ziva 30-day report to your next appointment - your Echocardiogram result and daily trends in one view, so the conversation starts with the full picture.
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Being listed doesn’t mean everyone needs this test. Educational only — not medical advice. Results should be interpreted with a qualified clinician. ← Back to Know What to Test