If a sedative was given, you may be drowsy and should not drive for at least ten to 12 hours. Abstain from alcohol for a day or so before and after the test, because it increases the sedative effect. Results available when A few hours to a few days. The images and video are analyzed by a doctor trained in interpreting echocardiograms. Advantages It provides views of the heart that cannot be obtained with conventional echocardiography.
Factors affecting results Very few factors affect results.
In fact, this test overcomes most of the problems that may be encountered during ordinary echocardiography because the transducer is placed immediately next to the heart. The next step More invasive tests, such as cardiac catheterization , may be ordered if images indicate cardiac abnormalities. Adapted from The Patient's Guide to Medical Tests by Faculty Members at The Yale University School of Medicine. Copyright 1997 by Yale University School of Medicine and G.S. Sharpe Communications, Inc. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.