Stress Test

What Is a Stress Test All About?

It beats in your chest from before the time you are born up to the moment you die. Your heart does more work than any other organ in your body, including your lungs. Breathing is necessary, but you can hold your breath for a minute or two without dying - don't try shutting off your heart for that long!

What is involved in a Stress Test?

A Stress Test measures how well your heart works while you are exercising moderately. You have probably seen the procedure on TV: a patient is hooked up to a maze of wires and walks on a treadmill while the TV doctors talk about everything but the patient. A Stress Test in the real world does involve sensors, wires, and a treadmill, but your doctors are there to find out how well your heart is working.

How do you prepare for the test?

A Stress Test is an easy and non-invasive procedure. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes, and bring along a good book or craft project because the complete test can take up to four hours. Do not eat or drink anything before you arrive at your doctor's office for the test, and ask your doctor which medicines are OK to take before the test.

What are all those wires for?

Small sticky pads with wires connected to them will be placed at various points on your body. These wires are connected to a monitor that measures your heart function, breathing and blood pressure before, during and after moderate exercise. Your heart works hard to pump blood to every area of your body, and if your arteries are narrowed, it must work much harder.

What does a Stress Test look for?

Your doctors will be looking for irregular heart rhythms, which show up during moderate exercise. The test can also show if you have coronary artery disease or any other early signs you are in danger of a heart attack, and what might be causing angina (chest pain). Doctors measure your heart with a Stress Test to determine if your medications and treatments are working for you.

What happens after a  test?

Immediately after the test, you will be asked to sit or lie down to recover from the exercise. Your blood pressure and breathing will be watched. Your doctor will ask how tired you feel and if you have any dizziness or pain. Once all the data is in and analyzed, your doctor will recommend a course of treatment and maybe Stress Reduction if there is anything that should be done.

Should I stress out about getting a Stress Test?

Absolutely not! Stressing out about getting a Stress Test simply increases your stress. The procedure is non-invasive. If you do not exercise regularly and are out of shape, your doctor will work with you.

They want you to reach a target heart rate, which is not as high as you might reach during vigorous exercise, but is still enough to show the doctor what is going on with your heart. Relax! They are there to help you, not stress you out.