Can an echo detect a heart attack?

An echo, which is short for an echocardiogram, is a test that uses sound waves to create a moving picture of your heart. It can provide information about the size and shape of the heart, how well the heart's chambers and valves are functioning, and the blood flow through the heart. While an echo can detect certain conditions that may be associated with an increased risk of heart attack, such as increased thickness of the heart's ventricles due to high blood pressure, heart valve disease, or congenital heart defects, it is not specifically designed to detect a heart attack in progress. A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, occurs when blood flow to a part of the heart muscle is blocked, usually by a blood clot. This can cause damage to the heart muscle, and an echo may be able to detect the effects of this damage, such as weak areas of heart muscle. However, the primary diagnostic tool for a heart attack is typically an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), which can show changes in the electrical activity of the heart that indicate a heart attack is occurring. In summary, while an echo can provide valuable information about the heart's structure and function, it is not the primary tool for detecting a heart attack. An ECG is more commonly used for this purpose.

Echo also can detect increased thickness of the ventricles (the heart's lower chambers). Increased thickness may be due to high blood pressure, heart valve disease, or congenital heart defects. Heart muscles that are weak and aren't pumping well. Damage from a heart attack may cause weak areas of heart muscle.