A stress test provides continuous monitoring of the patient's heart rhythm,
pulse and blood pressure to diagnose for underlying coronary artery disease.
It involves having the patient either walk on a treadmill or ride a bicycle
to increase the heart rate. It is supervised by a qualified physician.
On the day of the test, you will need to register with Outpatient Registration
on the first floor of the Medical Center behind the Information Desk. Plan
to arrive 45 minutes before the scheduled stress test time. Following registration,
the patient will be directed to the stress lab in Cardiopulmonary Services
on the second floor. The entire procedure will take 20-30 minutes.
To prepare for this test, you should:
- Avoid Solid Foods for Two Hours Before the Test
- Wear Comfortable Walking Shoes
- No Smoking for Two Hours Before the Test
- Take Medications as Usual, Unless Otherwise Indicated by Physician
- Do Not Take Viagra Medication 24 Hours Prior to the Test
- No Caffeinated
Coffee, Tea, Colas, Chocolate or Cocoa 24 hours Prior to the Test (Decaf
is Acceptable, But Avoidance of All Such Beverages is Preferred)—You May
Drink Water
- Wear Slacks if Possible - No One Piece Jump Suits
An informed consent must be signed before the procedure by you and
performing physician. Sticky electrode patches are applied to your
chest and attached to an ECG machine to monitor the heart. A resting ECG
and blood pressure are taken before the procedure for comparison. When the
physician arrives, you will begin to either walk on a treadmill with varying
speeds and elevations; or you will be asked to pedal a bicycle with increasing
intensity every few minutes.
When the physician feels that you have walked long enough, if the heart rate
is high enough to diagnose or if you show abnormalities or are too tired -
the test will be stopped. The treadmill will be slowed to a slower pace for
a minute cool down. The bicycle intensity will be eased and the patient will
continue to bike for a minute at an easy pace.
After the cool-down period, you will sit in a chair to rest for an additional
few minutes until your heart rate, blood pressure or ECG changes have returned
to baseline. The physician may give you a preliminary report. Otherwise, the
entire test will be reviewed by the physician and a report dictated. This report
will be sent to the ordering physician and any referring physicians noted.
The ordering physician will then discuss the results with you.
