Types of Stress Tests
Exercise Stress Test
Exercise Stress Test - During this test, specialists monitor the heart while the patient exercises on a treadmill. Small disks, called electrodes, are applied to the patient's chest and are connected to wires called leads. The leads are connected to a monitor that records the electrical activity of the patient's heart (EKG). The level of exercise is gradually increased to see how the patient's heart responds to exercise.
Preparation for testing: Once your physician has ordered the test and received authorization from your insurance carrier, you will be notified of some additional preparation.
Please note: For all these types of stress tests, it is required that patients should have nothing by mouth (food or fluid) for a minimum of 4 hours before the test.
It is also very important that you do not eat or drink items containing caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate, cola) for at least 12 hours before the test. Consult with your physician for definitive preparation instructions. Caffeine can interfere with test results. This includes decaffeinated coffee or tea, since they do contain small amounts of caffeine. You may also need to stop taking some medications before the test, so be sure to let your doctor know in advance about any medications you are taking.
Echocardiogram (or cardiac ultrasound)
An Echocardiogram (or cardiac ultrasound) is an ultrasound of the heart. It measures blood flow through the heart and also enables physicians to view the heart valve structure and heart wall function. It is helpful in determining heart size and ventricular function. Echocardiography can also detect heart clots and damage after a heart attack. It is often used in conjunction with Doppler ultrasounds.
A Stress Echocardiogram consists of an Echocardiogram, which produces images of the heart including the heart valves before and after exercise. You will have an Echocardiogram and exercise, immediately followed by another Echocardiogram. This will evaluate your heart’s response to exercise and will demonstrate abnormalities in heart wall motion.
For pediatric patients, please bring your child tired and hungry. When you are called back to the echo lab, we will ask you to feed your baby For toddlers and up, a light snack might be helpful if you deem appropriate. Please bring a pacifier, if used, and favorite blanket and /or toy of the child’s. Familiar things in an unfamiliar environment can make the baby more at ease.
- Physician referral form
- Current medical insurance card
- Driver’s license or other government-issued identification
- Wear comfortable clothing. (Avoid metal straps, buttons, zippers)
Nuclear Cardiac Stress Test
A Nuclear Cardiac Stress Test measures blood flow to your heart muscle at rest and during stress. It is performed similar to a routine exercise stress test but provides images in addition to those of an electrocardiogram. During a nuclear stress test, a radioactive substance is injected into your bloodstream. This substance mixes with your blood and travels to your heart. A special scanner — which detects the radioactive material in your heart — creates images of your heart muscle. Inadequate blood flow to any part of your heart will show up as a light spot on the images — because not as much of the radioactive substance is getting there.
Preparation for testing: Once your physician has ordered the test and received authorization from your insurance carrier, you will be notified of some additional preparation.
Please note: For all these types of stress tests, it is required that patients should have nothing by mouth (food or fluid) for a minimum of 4 hours before the test.
It is also very important that you do not eat or drink items containing caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate, cola) for at least 12 hours before the test. Caffeine can interfere with test results. This includes decaffeinated coffee or tea, since they do contain small amounts of caffeine. You may also need to stop taking some medications before the test, so be sure to let your doctor know in advance about any medications you are taking.
Pharmacologic Stress Tests
Pharmacologic Stress Tests -- If a patient is physically unable to exercise, the staff can give the patient a medication that has the same effect on the heart as exercise. The patient wears the same electrodes for the EKG as described above so that doctors can monitor the way the heart performs under the conditions of the drug. Pharmacologic stress testing is always done with either Nuclear or Echocardiogram imaging (see below) and simply substitutes medicine stress for treadmill stress.
Preparation for testing: Once your physician has ordered the test and received authorization from your insurance carrier, you will be notified of some additional preparation.
Please note: For all these types of stress tests, it is required that patients should have nothing by mouth (food or fluid) for a minimum of 4 hours before the test.
It is also very important that you do not eat or drink items containing caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate, cola) for at least 12 hours before the test. Caffeine can interfere with test results. This includes decaffeinated coffee or tea, since they do contain small amounts of caffeine. You may also need to stop taking some medications before the test, so be sure to let your doctor know in advance about any medications you are taking.
Tilt Table
Tilt table testing is used by doctors to find out why people feel faint or lightheaded or actually completely pass out. Tilt-table tests can be used to see if fainting is due to abnormal control of heart rate or blood pressure. A very slow heart rate (bradycardia) can cause fainting.
During the test, you lie on a special table that can have your head raised so that it is elevated to 60 to 80 degrees above the rest of your body while a nurse or doctor monitors your blood pressure and heart rate. You may have an IV inserted to give medicine or draw blood.