2D ECHO CARDIOGRAPHY REVIEW

ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

is a test that uses high frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to make pictures of your heart.

Also known as Echocardiogram or Diagnostic cardiac ultrasound.

Why do patients need an echo test?

The test helps your doctor find out:

• Size and shape of your heart

• Size, thickness and movement of your heart’s walls

• How your heart moves

• Heart’s pumping strength

• If the heart valves are working correctly

• If blood is leaking backwards through your heart valves

• If the heart valves are too narrow

• If there is a tumor or infectious growth around your heart valves

REGURGITATION

Term for backward leaking in heart valves

STENOSIS

Abnormal narrowing of a bodily passage or structure such as blood vessel or a spinal canal

HOW TO PREPARE A PATIENT FOR THE PROCEDURE?

• Obtain patient’s health history and diagnostic request

• Instruct the patient to change into gown and remove accessories

• Once done changing, patient is instructed to lie in bed in supine position

• Explain the procedure will take at least an hour

• Input all patient’s details into the machine and place electrodes on the patient’s chest.

• Instruct patient to lie on their left side, side lying with their arms positioned above their head as if in a sleeping position

• Turn off the lights. The room is dark so you can better see the video monitor
  

WHY DO YOU NEED TO PLACE ECG ELECTRODES WHILE DOING THE ECHO PROCEDURE?

It keeps track of the patient’s heartbeat during the procedure

(RA) RED ELECTRODE

placed under right clavicle near right shoulder within the rib cage frame

(LA) YELLOW ELECTRODE

placed under left clavicle near left shoulder within the rib cage frame

(LL) GREEN ELECTRODE

placed on the left side below pectoral muscles lower edge of left rib cage

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE PROCEDURE?

• Help the patient clean the gel off their chest

• Assist patient into sitting position and have them stay in same position for at least a minute to avoid them abruptly standing and getting dizzy

• Wipe the gel off from the probe with dry tissue after use and disinfect between patients

• Always do aftercare. “Probe care is life”

HEART

a vital organ responsible for pumping blood for circulation

HEART’S FUNCTION

• Pumping blood

• Systemic circulation

• Pulmonary circulation

• Blood pressure regulation

• Hormonal regulation

• Electrical conduction

• Adaptation to deman

WHAT ARE THE 4 CHAMBERS OF THE HEART?

1. Right Atrium

2. Right Ventricle

3. Left Atrium

4. Left Ventricle

RIGHT ATRIUM

receives deoxygenated blood returning from the body via the vena cana

RIGHT VENTRICLE

pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen

LEFT ATRIUM

receives oxygenated blood from the lungs through the pulmonary veins

LEFT VENTRICLE

it is the heart’s strongest chamber which pumps oxygenated blood out to the rest of the body through the aorta

SEPTUM

a wall separating the right and left sides of the heart, keeping oxygenated and deoxygenated blood separate

TRICUSPID VALVE

Opens to let deoxygenated blood flow from the right atrium into the right ventricle, closes when the ventricles contracts to prevent blood from flowing back to the atrium

PULMONARY VALVE

Opens to pump blood from the right ventricle to the lungs (via the pulmonary artery) to get oxygen; closes to stop blood from returning to the ventricle.

MITRAL VALVE

Also called Bicuspid Valve. Allows oxygenated blood from the left atrium to enter the left ventricle; closes when the ventricle pumps to prevent leakage back into the atrium.

AORTIC VALVE

Open to let oxygenated blood flow from the left ventricle out to the rest of the body; closes to prevent blood from flowing back into the heart.

PERICARDIUM/EPICARDIUM

Outermost layer of the heart. A membrane, or sac that surrounds the heart.

ENDOCARDIUM

Innermost layer of the heart which consists of thin layer of endothelial cells. Helps facilitate blood flow within the heart. Plays the role in the heart’s electrical conduction system

MYOCARDIUM

Milddle layer of the heart which is responsible for the contraction and pumping action. Vital part of the heart function

SYSTEMIC CIRCULATION

kind of circulation that let the heart pumps oxygen-rich blood to all body parts

PULMONARY CIRCULATION

kind of ciruclation that let heart pumps oxygen-poor blood to the lungs

CORONARY CIRCULATION

is the blood flow that supplies the heart muscle (myocardium) with oxygen and nutrients so it can keep pumping.

ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY

is the study of the electrical activities of the heart, which controls its rhythm and contractions. It helps in diagnosing and treating heart rhythm disorders

SINOATRIAL (SA) NODE

the heart’s natural pacemaker, initiating each heartbeat

ATRIOVENTRICULAR (AV) NODE

delays the signal to allow atria to contract before the ventricles

BUNDLE OF HIS

transmits impulses from the AV node to the ventricles

PURKINJE FIBERS

spread the electrical signal throughout the ventricles, causing contraction

DEPOLARIZATION

refers to the contraction of myocardial muscle moves as a wave through the heart

REPOLARIZATION

is the return of the ions to their previous resting state, which corresponds with relaxation of the myocardial muscle

P WAVE & PR SEGMENT

Atrial Depolarization

QRS SEGMENT

Ventricular Depolarization

ST SEGMENT

Beginning of Ventricular Repolarization

T WAVE

Ventricular Repolarization

NORMAL SINUS RHYTHM (NSR)

refers to the heart’s normal electrical activity, originating from the sinoatrial (SA) node, which is the heart’s natural pacemaker. It ensures a regular heartbeat that efficiently pumps blood throughout the body.

Which ECG findings indicate a normal sinus rhythm?

P wave precedes each QRS complex, regular rhythm, normal PR interval, normal QRS duration, and T wave follows each QRS