What to Ask Before Your Heart Ultrasound Appointment

Do you have an echocardiogram appointment upcoming? While it is perfectly normal to feel anxious, you do not need to be. You can make the appointment a little less intimidating with some preparation and appropriate questions. Not much preparation is required for an echocardiogram. Your health care team should help prepare you for what to expect during the appointment. Below is a short list of important questions to ask once you are at the appointment.

1. What Happens During an Echocardiogram?

If you are going to ask only one question, this is the one! Once you understand what will happen, it fixes everything ,and your anxiety diminishes. Ask your care team if they can tell you how you would lay, what the gel feels like, if there will be a transducer moving across the chest, if you need to hold your breath, and if you need prior tests.  

All the basic components will help you feel ready for your appointment with less fear and anxiety. You will also imagine a scenario in your head that is not painful or violent, only cool gel, light pressure, and the machine sounds in the background. The more you can reduce your thinking or wondering, the less anxious you may be for your echocardiogram.

2. Will I Need to Change Anything Before the Appointment?

This question addresses practical considerations. Most routine echocardiograms do not require fasting, but some do.  Asking early helps clarify whether you need to stop eating prior to the appointment, adjust the timing of medications, or even wear certain clothing for accessibility of your chest area.

3. Who Will Perform the Test and What Will They Do?

Knowing the people present during the examination adds a valuable mental assurance mentally. An echocardiogram is usually performed by a cardiovascular sonographer. A cardiovascular sonographer is someone with significant background training and experience with taking images of hearts. Simply knowing this detail is comforting.

If you have questions about the profession or how ultrasound works, learning what is cardiovascular sonography can help put you at ease.

4. What In my Medical History Can Affect the Test?

This is a key, but often overlooked question. Pacemakers, breast implants, surgical scars and/or chest trauma could impact the possibility to capture the imaging. Asking this question beforehand allows the sonographer to know and consider the best position to capture the imaging. Additionally, it will help the team to understand your symptoms better and be able to observe you during the imaging.

5. How Long Will the Appointment Take? 

Time matters when planning your day, and trying to adjust your emotional wellbeing. The imaging portion of the visit will take 30-60 minutes at most. However, filling out paperwork, checking in, and waiting for a room to become available could extend your time for your visit.

Understanding your time of total appointment can help you to understand the best timeline for planning. It can help alleviate the pressure of needing to rush through your procedure. If you know you have enough time, naturally, you will be more relaxed.

6. When and How Will I Get My Results?

This question clarifies expectations. Not only does the sonographer capture the images, but a cardiologist evaluates and interprets them later. Ask specifically if you would receive your results that day, within a couple of days, or at a subsequent appointment.

Don’t forget to ask how you will receive your results - is it a phone call, is it via an online patient portal, or is it through an office visit? Knowing the timetable prevents unnecessary anxiety while waiting, and it helps plan on what to expect next in regard to your heart health.

7. When Feeling Nervous, Uncomfortable, or Need Reassurance, What Should I Do?

Your emotional comfort is just as important as the process of care provided. By asking this question, you allow the team to communicate calming techniques. You can tell the team very directly that you are in need of a slower-paced exam, a little more explanation, or that you just need a minute to catch your breath. Most patients will be pleasantly surprised how calming and patient-centered the exam process can be when they simply inform the team about their needs.

Endnote

These seven questions include everything needed to feel ready. They prepare you to become familiar with the process, develop a level of trust with those involved, and provide reassurance once you arrive at the appointment. Should you need a deeper understanding of how these scans work, a review of what cardiovascular sonography is will explain things. Do your research and prepare accordingly.