Cardiac Exercise Stress Test

A cardiac exercise stress test shows how well your heart handles exercise. This can take various forms including stress ECG and stress echocardiograms.

 

How does a cardiac exercise stress test work?

 

Patients with blocked coronary arteries may have minimal symptoms and a normal EKG while at rest. However, the symptoms and signs of heart disease can be unmasked by using exercise to stress the heart. During exercise, healthy coronary arteries dilate allowing more blood to be sent to the heart muscle. Diseased arteries also dilate, but they send less blood to the heart, due to fatty blockages. This reduced flow causes the affected part of the heart to "suffer" during exercise. This "distress" can produce symptoms (such as chest discomfort or inappropriate shortness of breath) and abnormalities thay may be seen on the electrocardiogram.

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Your doctor may recommend a cardiac stress test to:

• Identify the cause of chest pain - as well as shortness of breath, dizziness and light-headedness

• Diagnose possible coronary artery disease - if you’re showing signs and symptoms

• Check the effectiveness of certain procedures - such as coronary angioplasty and stenting or cardiac bypass surgery

• Help create a safe exercise plan - if you have heart disease risk factors

• Identify any heart rhythm changes - usually experienced during exercise

• Determine your risk of heart disease - or other heart-related conditions

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