The Medical Clinic is happy to be in partnership with Advara HeartCare, who will be attending the clinic to offer on site echocardiograms for our patients

An echocardiogram, also known as an echo, is the most common type of heart ultrasound. Your GP and Cardiologist uses it to assess the health of your heart. Although it might sound like a very technical test, it is actually quite straight-forward, requiring very little preparation for patients.

An echocardiogram is a well-tolerated, non-invasive test.

On the day of the test, this is what you can expect:

  • You’ll need to remove your clothes from the waist up and wear a provided clinic gown.
  • The sonographer will attach small ECG electrodes to your chest, which then attach to a monitor and monitor your heart rate during the test.
  • A cool gel will be placed on your skin and the sonographer will move a handheld wand across your chest to take the ultrasound images of your heart. The vast majority of patients will not experience pain or discomfort during this part of the procedure. If you do, tell your doctor immediately.
  • You may be asked to hold your breath briefly or change position slightly.
  • You should allow about 45 minutes for the test.

There is down time after the test as it is non-invasive, a report will be sent to your GP or referring doctor who will discuss the results with you

There is no out of pocket cost, it is a fully bulk billed service.