A stress test is a special type of test that is used to measure the heart’s tolerance for exercise and to detect various forms of heart disease. The most common type of exercise stress test combines some form of mild exercise with an electrocardiogram (EKG) to measure the heart’s activity both at rest and while working.
This test is noninvasive, generally safe and painless. It may be administered in a number of different settings, including clinics, hospitals or physician’s offices. Exercise stress tests may be performed with echocardiography or nuclear imaging techniques. If patients are unable to exercise, another type of stress test uses drugs instead of physical activity to produce the effects of exercise during the examination. Other Types of Stress Tests
Although the EKG exercise stress test is the most common, there are a number of others, including:
* Pharmacological stress test (or chemical stress test). A type of stress test used with patients who are unable to perform physical activity. A drug such as dobutamine or adenosine is given to the patient, which causes the heart to react as if the person were exercising, even though the patient is actually at rest. Some drugs increase the heart rate, and other drugs increase blood flow by causing the coronary arteries to widen.
* Stress echocardiogram. An echocardiogram is performed while the patient exercises in a controlled manner on a treadmill or stationary bicycle at varied speeds and elevations. The reaction of the heart under exertion can be measured, and the heart’s structure and function can be evaluated. This type of test can also be performed with the help of certain drugs that create stress in patients who are unable to exercise. Source:
http://medlineplus.gov/ |
