A cardiac stress test (also called an exercise ECG or EKG) checks how your heart works when it has to work harder. Some heart issues only show up during activity. This test can help your provider decide the next step in your heart care.
What to Expect During the Test
During the test, you may walk on a treadmill. If you cannot exercise, your provider may use medicine to make your heart work harder while you lie still.
In some cases, ultrasound or nuclear pictures of your heart are taken before and after the test.
You will have stickers (electrodes) on your chest to record your heart rhythm. A blood pressure cuff will be placed on your arm. Your care team will check your EKG and blood pressure before the test starts, during the test, and after the test ends.
The test may stop when one of these happens:
- You reach your target heart rate
- You have chest pain
- Your care team sees changes on the EKG
- Your blood pressure changes too much (especially if it drops)
- You are too tired to keep going
What We Learn from Stress Testing
Your results can help your provider:
- See how well you handle exercise
- Find out if chest pain may be coming from your heart
- Check your heart rhythm when your heart rate goes up
- See how well your medicines are working for heart-related chest pain
If you need answers about symptoms or risk for heart disease, stress testing is one tool your provider may use.
Who Might Need a Cardiac Stress Test?
Your provider may suggest a cardiac stress test if you:
- Have chest pain, pressure, tightness, or discomfort
- Get short of breath more than usual, especially with activity
- Feel dizzy, lightheaded, or like you might faint
- Have a fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat
- Have an abnormal EKG or other test result
- Have risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, or a family history of heart disease
- Need to check your heart before starting an exercise program or before some surgeries
- Need follow-up after a heart procedure or change in symptoms
Learn More
If you have questions, please contact your primary care provider. If you do not have a primary care provider, please call the Well Connected Hotline at 918-488-6688.