Cardiac Exercise Stress Test

If you are having health problems that seem to be heart related, your doctor may order a cardiac stress test, also known as a treadmill test or an exercise test. The purpose of this test is to see how well your heart performs when it must work harder during exercise. How your heart responds to exercise will help you doctor be able to determine if there is anything wrong with your heart.

Some Reasons a Cardiac Stress Test May Be Ordered

A cardiac exercise stress test may be ordered if you are having light-headedness, shortness of breath, chest pain, irregular heart beats (palpitations), an irregular heart rate, or any other symptoms that could possibly be heart-related. I was personally having problems with a fast heart rate, palpitations, chest pain, pain down my left arm, weakness, shortness of breath, and horrible pressure headaches. I had problems with these symptoms for several years and have actually done four exercise stress tests on the treadmill.

What To Expect at a Cardiac Exercise Stress Test

A cardiac exercise stress test involves being hooked up to medical equipment that will keep track of your blood pressure, oxygen level, heart rate, and heart rhythm before, during, and after you exercise on a treadmill. The information recorded will show if anything irregular happens before, during, or after the test. Your stress test may not be exactly like the ones I've had, but it should be pretty close to the following description.

When you get to the room where the test is being performed, you will be hooked up to a monitor that will keep track of your heart. If you've ever been hooked up for an EKG, it's about the same. The technician will put sticky pads with metal nodes in the middle of them on you in various places of your chest and abdomen. Wires will then be attached to the nodes to hook you up to the monitor. These wires are usually gathered to a velcro "belt" that is wrapped around your waist to prevent the wires from getting in your way during the test. Once you are hooked up, an EKG will be done to record your heart rate and rhythm before any exercise. They will also check your blood pressure and oxygen level.

You will then be asked to get on the treadmill. Your heart, blood pressure, and oxygen level will be monitored the whole time you are on the treadmill. They will give you instructions and tell you to let them know if you need to stop at any point. You will be started out slowly, with the speed and usually the incline being increased little by little. They will ask you how you are doing to make sure you are okay. You will be kept on the treadmill until you reach a specific heart rate and kept there for a couple of minutes. They will then slow you down little by little and have you get off of the treadmill. You will be asked to sit or lie down. One last EKG will be done as well as checking your blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen level for the final time before they unhook everything. The test is done. You will be allowed to rest until you are ready to get up to leave.

How You May Feel

Many people feel fine doing a stress test, but you may not if you have health issues. After my first cardiac stress test, I was very weak and shaky and thought I was going to pass out. I felt so terrible that I actually had tears running down my face. I was so embarrassed. I'm not sure why that stress test was so hard on me, but the rest weren't like that. I just felt a little winded after the next two and felt completely fine after the last one. Just remember that if you don't feel well during the test, you can stop immediately.

Further Reading

Tachycardia and PVCs - Fast Heart Rate and Palpitations