Stress Test

Stress Test is a type of medical test that is used to measure the heart's ability to respond to external stress in a controlled clinical environment. The stress response is induced by exercise or drug stimulation. Stress tests are used to diagnose and evaluate cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease, and heart-related abnormalities.

Overview

Stress tests are typically performed with the patient on a treadmill or bicycle while the patient's heart rate, blood pressure, and electrocardiogram are monitored. In cases where a patient is unable to exercise, drugs such as dobutamine can be used to stimulate the heart.

Types of Stress Tests

There are several types of stress tests, including:

• Exercise Stress Test: This is the most common type of stress test. It involves the patient exercising on a treadmill or bicycle while their heart rate, blood pressure, and electrocardiogram are monitored.

• Nuclear Stress Test: This test uses radioactive dye and an imaging machine to create pictures showing the blood flow to your heart. The test measures blood flow while you are at rest and are exerting yourself, showing areas with poor blood flow or damage in your heart.

• Stress Echocardiogram: This is an echocardiogram done both before and after your heart is stressed either by having you exercise or by injecting a medicine into your bloodstream that makes your heart beat harder and faster. A stress echocardiogram is usually done to find out if you have decreased blood flow to your heart (coronary artery disease).

Indications

Stress tests are used to:

• Diagnose coronary artery disease
• Diagnose a possible heart-related cause of symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath
• Guide treatment decisions, measure the effectiveness of treatment, or determine the severity if you've already been diagnosed with a heart condition
• Determine a safe level of exercise
• Check the effectiveness of procedures done to improve coronary artery circulation in patients with coronary artery disease
• Predict risk of dangerous heart-related conditions such as a heart attack

Risks

While stress tests are generally safe, they do carry a risk of rare complications such as arrhythmias or, in extremely rare cases, a heart attack.

See Also

• Cardiology
• Cardiovascular disease
• Coronary artery disease

Stress Test Resources
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