What Is A Heart Stress Test?

Exercise stress testing is valuable in diagnosing ischemic heart disease. Ischemic heart disease means that there is a lack of oxyegen going to the heart, which can cause a heart attack. For the test, you will need to be hooked up to a machine called an EKG, or electrocardiogram machine. The nurse or doctor will clean four or five spots on the chest and attach little sticky patches there. Next they will snap on the leads or wires that attach to the machine. This is a noninvasive test, which means, no needles are used. The EKG machine monitors and record the function of the heart and its reaction to the stress test, the heart is subjected to a gradually increasing level of exercise on a monitored treadmill or bicycle.

A lack of oxyegen to the heart muscle during the stress test can be monitored. This would indicate to the doctor your risk of a heart attack. The stress test is also used to diagnose arrhythmias, which are irregular heart beats.

You will be informed to what the test includes because your cooperation is necessary. You should also be reassured that if you experience any pain, dyspnea (shortness of breath), or extreme fatigue, the test will be stopped. You will be advised to avoid smoking and to have nothing by mouth except water, and to wear clothing suitable for exercise. Medications that affect the heart will often be withheld. When your doctor wants to assesss the health of your heart, and measure your risk of having a heart attack, one of the tests he will order is the stress test. Remember, the exercise starts easy and slowly, then gradually becomes more difficult. An exercise stress test usually takes from 10 to 20 minutes.