Exercise Stress Testing and Stress Echocardiogram - Brochure
What is an exercise stress test?
An exercise treadmill test is a special test in which the electrical activity of your heart is monitored by electrodes while you exercise. Many pieces of information can be obtained during an exercise treadmill test including your exercise capabilities, whether or not your heart is getting enough oxygen with exercise, or whether or not you suffer from irregular heart rhythms with exercise. In certain conditions, it can give your physician information about the effectiveness of drug treatments.Do I need to do anything for the test?
In the case of an exercise test, there are certain things that need to be done before the test:- Please take your medication as usual, with the exception of _________________________________________.
- Do not eat or drink anything two hours before the test.
- Wear comfortable clothing and most importantly, comfortable shoes!
What will happen during the test?
The cardiac sonographer or nurse performing the procedure will meet you in the waiting room and escort you back to the examination room. You will be asked to undress from the waist up and put on a hospital gown open in front. The nurse will then apply the ECG electrodes to the front of the chest. They may need to shave some chest hair or use some sandpaper to ensure adequate contact of the electrode to the skin. Your rested heart rate and blood pressure will be checked and both will continue to be monitored until after the study is over. You will be orientated to the treadmill and when ready will talk on the treadmill. The treadmill will increase in speed and incline every couple of minutes until you need to stop or the nurse stops the test. You will then be allowed to recover and the electrodes will be removed.What about the results?
The test will then be interpreted by one of the cardiologists and the results will be available in the approximately 48 hours. If you would like a copy also sent to your primary physician (we make every effort to ensure this happens), please notify the nurse at the time of the study.What is a stress echocardiogram?
A stress echocardiogram uses the same procedure as described above but also utilizes cardiac ultrasound to obtain information about the function of your heart before and after you exercise. Again, you will need to follow the precautions as mentioned above; check about your medications, wear comfortable clothes and shoes.How does the procedure differ?
Prior to exercising, the cardiac sonographers will ask you to lie on your left side to allow him or her to obtain pictures of your heart prior to exercise. Information about the function of your heart, the valves, and certain pressures will be obtained. Following the initial imaging procedure, you will exercise as you would for a regular exercise treadmill test. Following the termination of exercise, you will be asked to quickly get off the treadmill and lie down on your left side as you were before. Pictures of the function of the heart will then be obtained and compared with the pictures obtained prior to exercise.Special procedures:
On most occasions with stress echocardiography, a contrast agent will be administered through an IV in your arm to aid in visualizing your heart muscle with exercise. This makes it easier for the interpreting physician to determine whether there were appropriate changes in the function of your heart with exercise. The sonographers will make this determination at the time of the study and if required, an IG will be placed by one of the Metropolitan Cardiology Consultants' highly skilled nurses.What about the results?
Again the results should be available within 48 hours to the ordering physician.Questions?
If you have any questions prior to this procedure, please do not hesitate to contact Metropolitan Cardiology Consultants at (763) 427-9980.Click here for more information.
