'valuable diagnostic tool'

2D Echocardiography or 2D Echo of heart is a test in which ultrasound technique is used to take pictures of heart. It displays a cross sectional ‘slice’ of the beating heart, showing chambers, valves and the major blood vessels of heart. ‘Doppler’ is a special element of this ultrasound exam that assesses flow of blood in the heart. How is 2D Echo done? Patient is made to change in a front open robe and a colourless gel is applied to the chest area. Then he is asked to lay on his left side as the technician moves the transducer across the various parts of his chest to get specific/desired views of the heart. Instructions may also be given to the patient to breathe slowly or to hold it. This helps in getting superior quality pictures. What it detects? Echocardiography is a significant tool in providing the physician important information about heart on the following: • Size of the chambers, volume and the thickness of the walls • Pumping function, if it is normal or reduced to a mild/severe degree • Valve function – structure, thickness and movement of heart’s valves • Volume status as low blood pressure may occur as a result of poor heart function • Pericardial effusion (fluid in the pericardium – the sac that surrounds the heart), congenital heart disease, blood clots or tumours, abnormal elevation of pressure within the lungs etc. How safe is echocardiography? It is absolutely safe. There are no known risks of the ultrasound in this type of testing. Stress, modern lifestyle and many other factors have adverse effects on the heart. Hence, routine analysis of the heart health is important. 2D echocardiography is a screening test that produces live heart images. It allows your doctor to monitor the functioning of your heart and its valves.

A coronary angiogram is a diagnostic image, which uses dye and special X-rays to show the inside of your coronary (heart) arteries. These images are used to identify arterial narrowings that may be responsible for chest pain and future heart attacks. An angiography is the procedure, which uses special imaging techniques to produce coronary angiograms. To prepare for imagining, a very small tube (catheter) is inserted into a blood vessel in either the patient’s groin or arm. The tip of the tube is positioned at the beginning of the arteries supplying the heart, and a special fluid or dye is injected. This special fluid is visible by X-ray, which details the narrowing, occlusions, and other abnormalities of specific arteries. These images obtained are called angiograms. Why it's done? Your doctor may recommend that you have a coronary angiogram if you have: • Symptoms of coronary artery disease, such as chest pain (angina) • Pain in your chest, jaw, neck or arm that can’t be explained by other tests • New or increasing chest pain (unstable angina) • A heart defect you were born with (congenital heart disease) • Abnormal results on a noninvasive heart stress test • Other blood vessel problems or a chest injury • A heart valve problem that requires surgery What are risks? As with most procedures done on your heart and blood vessels, a coronary angiogram has some risks, such as radiation exposure from the X-rays used. Major complications are rare, though. Potential risks and complications include: • Heart attack • Stroke • Injury to the catheterized artery • Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) • Allergic reactions to the dye or medications used during the procedure • Kidney damage