A stress test, sometimes called a treadmill test or exercise test, helps a doctor find out how well your heart handles work. Stress can be difficult to understand. The emotional chaos it causes can make our daily lives miserable. It can also decrease our physical health, sometimes drastically. The test continues until you reach a target heart rate, unless complications such as chest pain or an exaggerated rise in blood pressure develop. You will continue to be monitored for 10 - 15 minutes after exercising, or until your heart rate returns to baseline. A stress test is performed to determine causes of chest pain, the exercise capacity of the heart, appropriate exercise levels in those beginning an exercise program, and to identify rhythm disturbances during exercise. There may be additional reasons that your health care provider requests this test.

A stress test is less accurate in young or middle-aged women with symptoms that are not typical of heart disease. Exercise stress tests may  be performed with echocardiography or nuclear imaging techniques. A stress test, is almost the same as the exercise stress test, except doctors will give you a small amount of a radioactive substance just before the end of the exercise part of the test. This radioactive substance is not harmful to your body or your organs. Another type of stress test uses drugs instead of physical activity to produce the effects of exercise during the examination. The test can give information about the size of the heart’s chambers, how well the heart is pumping blood, and whether the heart has any damaged or dead muscle.

How to prepare for the test?

• Do not eat, smoke, or drink beverages containing caffeine or alcohol for 3 hours before the test.
• If you take insulin to control your blood sugar, ask your physician if or how much insulin you should take the day of the test.
• Wear comfortable shoes and loose clothing to allow exercise.
• During the test you will not be sedated and therefore once the test is completed you will be able to drive yourself home.
• Tell your doctor if you are taking sildenafil citrate and have taken a dose within the past 24 hours.

What the risks are?

• Stress tests are generally safe.
• Chest pain or may faint or collapse.
• A heart attack or dangerous irregular rhythm rarely occurs.