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Exercise Stress Test
What is the test?
The exercise stress test, also known as the treadmill test or exercise tolerance test,
indicates whether your heart gets enough blood flow and oxygen when it's working its
hardest, such as during exercise. Often, stress tests are given to people with chest pain
or other symptoms who appear to have coronary artery disease, based on a medical
exam and EKG. In addition, these tests are sometimes used for other purposes, from
assessing the effectiveness of heart disease treatment to gauging the safety of a
proposed exercise program.
Stress tests are among the best tools for diagnosing heart disease, and some research
suggests that they may also be useful in estimating disease risk in people who don't
have symptoms but have risk factors such as high cholesterol. If you are over age 40
and are at risk for coronary artery disease because you smoke or have high blood
pressure or other risk factors, ask your doctor if you should have this test.
How do I prepare for the test?
Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing and athletic shoes. Let the doctor performing the
test know if you think that you won't be able to walk on a treadmill for any health reason,
such as arthritis. Also let the doctor know if you have diabetes; since exercise can lower
blood sugar, he or she may want to check your blood sugar level before the test begins,
to be sure it is not too low (see "Diabetes alert," below). It's also important to tell the
doctor or other health professional in the testing room if you've had any chest pain or
pressure on the day of the test. Try to avoid eating a large meal right before the test,
which could make exercising uncomfortable.
What happens when the test is performed?
First you have an EKG both while lying down and standing up. Your blood pressure is
taken. Several plasticcoated wires, or leads, are taped to your arms and one leg so that
your heart's electrical pattern can be detected while you exercise.Your blood pressure
and heart rate also are monitored during the test. You are asked to walk on a treadmill
for about 10 minutes. The speed and steepness of the treadmill will increase several
times while you exercise. Let the person who is monitoring you know immediately if you
feel chest pain or heaviness, shortness of breath, leg pain or weakness, or other unusual
symptoms, or if you think you can't continue exercising.After the exercise period is
completed, your blood pressure will be checked again.
A variation of this test uses a radionuclide to visualize parts of the heart that are not
getting enough blood. This test is called either an exercise-thallium test or exercise-MIBI
test (depending on the radionuclides used). If you have this test, you will probably need
to repeat it on a day when you have not been exercising hard, for the sake of
comparison.
An exercise stress test strongly suggests coronary artery disease if walking on the
treadmill produces symptoms such as chest discomfort, shortness of breath, or
dizziness, and these symptoms are accompanied by EKG changes that indicate
inadequate blood flow to parts of the heart. A test is considered normal if you can
perform a normal amount of exercise without symptoms or EKG changes. Many people
have chest discomfort but no EKG changes, or vice versa. In these cases, the exercise
test is of less help, and the result will be interpreted as consistent with coronary artery
disease, but not conclusive. Further testing may then be required.
What risks are there from the test?
If you have cardiac disease, you might develop chest pain during the test. Because this
is a sign that your heart isn't getting enough oxygen and could be in danger of damage,
it's important that you alert the medical staff immediately so that the test can be stopped.
While many people worry that an exercise stress test could be dangerous to someone
with heart disease, it is extremely safe if doctors examine patients beforehand to make
sure that they are healthy enough for it.
Must I do anything special after the test is over?
If your blood pressure becomes unusually high, or if it suddenly drops during exercise, a
nurse will recheck your blood pressure a few minutes after the test and may continue to
monitor your EKG. If you develop chest pain, you might be given some nitroglycerin
tablets to relieve the pain and lower the demand on your heart by dilating your blood
vessels.
How long is it before the result of the test is known?
It usually takes several days for the doctor to completely evaluate the printout of your
heart's electrical pattern.