Holter Monitor

Stress Test

A test used in medicine and cardiology to measure the hearts ability to respond to external stress in a controlled clinical environment is called a cardiac stress test.

Exercise or drug stimulation induces the stress response. To compare the coronary circulation while the patient is at rest with the same patients circulation observed during maximum physical exertion a cardiac stress test is used. This stress test shows any abnormal blood flow to the hearts muscle tissue.  What these results show is a reflection on the general physical condition of the test patient. This test can be used to diagnose a patient prognosis after a heart attack and ischemic heart disease.

Heart stimulation is necessary in order to perform the cardiac stress test. This stimulation is done by exercise on a treadmill, pedaling a stationary exercise bicycle ergometer, or with intravenous pharmacological stimulation, all while the patient is connected to an electrocardiogram. If a patient is unable to use their legs, a bicycle-like crank is used that they can turn with their arms.

Adjusting the speed and the difficulty such as the steepness of the slope progressively increases the level of mechanical stress. The symptoms and blood pressure response is examined by the test administrator or the attending physician.  The cardiac stress test, with the use of an electrocardiogram, is most commonly called a cardiac stress test but is also known as exercise testing, stress testing treadmills, exercise tolerance test, stress test, or stress test ECG (electrocardiogram).