Prevention
Heart check
What the heart check includes
Do I have a heart defect, and what does that mean? Cardiac echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart) has become a standard examination. Interpretation still depends on the cardiologist: whether you are healthy, or labelled as having heart disease. That judgement requires clinical experience and common sense. Some ultrasound findings have no relevance in daily life; others require your active involvement. You should know the difference so you do not worry unnecessarily. We can also examine your heart during ergometry (stress echo) and test cardiac function under load. This examination is considerably more accurate than an exercise ECG and provides additional certainty.
Typical questions
The check is intended for heart murmurs, breathlessness, reduced exercise capacity, unclear chest symptoms, known heart failure, after infections involving the heart, or when a previous ultrasound report needs explanation.
How the examination runs
The core is transthoracic echocardiography: ultrasound from outside the chest wall, without radiation. If needed we add a resting ECG, blood pressure and a stress echo during ergometry to assess heart function under load.
After the examination
You learn which findings matter in daily life and which have no immediate consequence. Not every unusual measurement means a disease that must be treated. Follow-up — watchful waiting, medication or referral — depends on the overall picture.
Related pages
The information on this page does not replace individual medical advice, examination or treatment. Whether any measures are appropriate is decided in a personal consultation. Courses differ from person to person.
