Ecg stress test, check heart function on a treadmill

EKG stress test, also called stress test heart is a test that doctors do to find out how your heart responds to pressure during physical activity. Usually this test is done to assess the severity of coronary artery disease and find out a person's physical fitness. In general, an EKG stress test is a safe and painless procedure to measure how well your heart is functioning. Check out more about the EKG stress test below.

What is the purpose of doing an EKG stress test?

The objectives of the EKG stress test include:

Seeing the blood intake that flows to the heart during physical activity
Detect abnormalities in heart rhythm and electrical activity in the heart
See how well the heart valves are working
Assess the severity of coronary artery disease that the patient has
Assess how effective the heart treatment plan is
Establish safe limits for physical exercise before starting a cardiac rehabilitation program as a result of a heart attack or heart surgery
Evaluate heart rate and blood pressure
Know your physical fitness level
Determine the prognosis of a person having a heart attack or dying from heart disease

Who needs to do an EKG stress test?

Source: Sozo Cardiology

Usually the EKG stress test is for patients with the following conditions:

Have a family history of heart disease
Have coronary heart disease
Suspected of having heart problems because it raises several supportive symptoms such as chest pain, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, and so on
Have a history of hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol
An active smoker

What to prepare before doing an EKG stress test?

There are several things that you must prepare before doing this examination, including:

Tell your doctor all medications, vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant
Make sure you get enough sleep before the test
Do not eat or drink anything except plain water for 4 hours before the test
Do not drink or eat anything containing caffeine 12 hours before the test
Do not take heart medication on the day of the examination, unless your doctor allows it
Use comfortable shoes and loose pants
Use a short-sleeved shirt with front buttons to make it easier to attach the ECG electrodes to your chest
If you use inhaler for asthma or other breathing problems, take it with you during the test too

Based on your medical condition, your doctor may ask you to make other special preparations not mentioned above. Consult a doctor for more information.

How does an EKG stress test work?

This procedure takes about 2 to 3 hours and will be performed under the supervision of a cardiologist or trained medical staff. Before performing the test, the medical staff will ask you to remove any jewelry, watches, or other metal objects that have adhered to your body. You will also be asked to remove any clothes that were worn during the test.

Not to worry, this is the standard procedure to be done before starting the test. The health worker will ensure that your vital organs are maintained by covering them with a cloth and showing only the parts that are needed. If your chest is very hairy, the medical team may shave or trim the hair as needed, so that the electrodes can stick tightly to the skin.

Electrodes will be placed on the chest and on the abdomen. These electrodes measure the electrical activity in the heart and send the results to an attached ECG monitor. The medical staff will also place a blood pressure measuring device on the arm. The initial, or baseline, EKG and blood pressure will be done while you are sitting and standing.

After that you will be asked to walk on the treadmill or use a stationary bike from the lowest to the highest intensity. The medical staff closely monitors any changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and ECG due to activity and body stress.

Tell the medical staff right away if you experience dizziness, chest pain, lightheadedness, extreme shortness of breath, nausea, headache, leg pain, or other symptoms during any of these physical activities. The test can be stopped if you have severe symptoms.

Source: The Strait Times

After you finish all the exercises, the intensity of the exercise will be slowed down slowly to "cool off" and help avoid nausea or cramps from sudden stops. You will sit in a chair and your EKG and blood pressure will be monitored until they return to normal or near normal. This may take 10 to 20 minutes. After you determine the final results of the EKG and your blood pressure, the EKG electrodes and the blood pressure device attached to your arm will come off. You can also put your clothes back on.

Some patients may not be able to perform treadmill or stationary bike exercises. If you have this, the doctor will perform the dobutamine stress EKG procedure. This is another form of the EKG stress test. The difference is, this procedure is done by giving drugs that stimulate the patient's heart and make the heart think that the body is exercising.

You may feel tired and short of breath for a few hours after taking the test, especially if you rarely exercise. If you feel tired for more than a day, call your doctor right away.