What is a Stress Test?
- Posted on: May 23 2017
A stress test is a type of cardiac diagnostic test that helps provide information to the physician about how your heart functions when you are undergoing a strenuous physical activity. The importance of a stress test stems from the fact that some ailments and/or conditions where the heart malfunctions are easily diagnosed when the organ is working hard trying to pump in more blood. For instance, this test helps a physician or a trained technician determine how much stress your heart can handle before showing signs of abnormal beating or rendered incapable of providing the adequate amount of blood to the heart muscles.
An exercise stress test is the most common form of this test and it is also known as exercise electrocardiogram, treadmill test, or stress ECG. In such a test, you are hooked up to a treadmill and begin walking at a gentle pace. The pace is gradually increased and then you have to breathe into a tube for a couple of minutes. Your heart, blood pressure, and other vital signs are checked after you slow down and rest.
A stress test is also conducted to determine an individual’s susceptibility to coronary heart disease (CHD), diagnose the disease, or find out about the severity of the disease. Besides, a stress test also helps a physician detect abnormal heart rhythms or assess the efficacy of the procedures undertaken to improve blood flow in the heart vessels in people suffering from CHD.
Individuals who are above 40 years of age and those who have a history of heart disease in the family should make it a point to undergo a stress test as part of their periodic medical checkup routine. We, at PrimeMedical, have experienced doctors to carry out a stress test on you and assess the condition of your heart. Call us at 310-548-0201 to schedule an appointment to guarantee yourself a healthy heart.
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