During a typical stress test, you’ll be asked to exercise, usually by walking on a treadmill or pedaling a stationary bicycle. As you exercise, the intensity gradually increases, making your heart work harder and beat faster. Throughout this process, medical professionals carefully monitor your heart’s activity, blood pressure, and overall response to the increased workload.

You might wonder why doctors can’t just examine your heart while you’re resting. Some heart problems only become apparent when your heart is working hard. A stress test can reveal issues that might not be noticeable when you’re sitting quietly in a doctor’s office.

Different stress tests provide different heart function data while you are connected to an ECG. This device tracks your heart’s electrical activity, revealing its rhythm and function.

For those unable to exercise, there are alternative methods. A pharmacological stress test uses medication to simulate the effects of exercise on your heart. This allows doctors to still gather important information about your heart’s performance, even if you can’t physically exert yourself.

Some stress tests incorporate imaging techniques for a more detailed view of your heart. A nuclear stress test, for example, involves injecting a small amount of radioactive tracer into your bloodstream. Special cameras then capture images of blood flow through your heart, both at rest and during stress. Another option is a stress echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to create images of your heart before and immediately after exercise.

Your doctor will carefully review the ECG recordings to see if there are any changes in your heart’s electrical activity that could indicate arterial blood flow issues in the heart muscle. They’ll also examine how your heart rate and blood pressure responded to exercise, checking if the increases were appropriate and if there were any concerning drops or spikes.

Your doctor will also look at any symptoms you had during the test, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or dizziness, to see how they relate to changes in your ECG or heart function. They’ll compare all of this information to your resting ECG and your medical history.

It’s important to note that stress tests are safe procedures. They’re performed under close medical supervision, and the risks are very low. The information gathered during a stress test can be invaluable in diagnosing heart conditions, assessing the effectiveness of current treatments, or determining safe levels of exercise for those with known heart issues.

Trust your heart health to CVG’s twenty board-certified cardiologists. Equipped with leading-edge diagnostic tools, a wealth of experience, and compassion, our cardiac team provides the highest level of personalized care.

You can review our cardiologists’ pages and explore their exceptional credentials and dedication to providing quality care. You can trust that our doctors genuinely care about you and will do everything they can to ensure you have the best quality of life possible.

To learn more, please call (770) 962-0399 or 678-582-8586. You may also request an appointment online. If you have an emergency, don’t contact us online; please call 911.