STRESS TEST

Is a test that assesses the health condition of the heart, not at rest but during exercise.

It provides valuable information on:

• The physical condition of the person.

• The response of blood pressure and heart rate to different degrees of exercise.

• The different origins and severity of chest pain or other cardiovascular symptoms.

• The effectiveness and degree of cardiovascular response to different treatments already in use when performing this test.

• The status of the coronary circulation and lower limbs.

• The amount and type of exercise rquired for a physical reconditioning program.

How is the test conducted:

Walking on an exercise band, connected with several wires to an electrocardiograph which measures the heart's electrical activity and simultaneously takes the blood pressure. This is a way to measure the reaction of the heart, to the need for more oxygen than is required during exercise.

The test continues until it reaches the desired frequency or pulse rate, which depends on the age of the patient, unless symptoms such as chest pain or an exaggerated rise in blood pressure are present, in which case the cardiologist ends the test.

Monitoring will continue for several minutes after exercise or until the pulse comes down to initial levels.

Tell your doctor if you take Viagra, Cialis or Levitra or or have taken similar drugs within the last 24 hours, to change your appointment. This is necessary because nitroglycerin, a drug sometimes required to be administered during a test, to relieve chest pain, should not be given to someone who has recently taken such drugs, because this combination could cause a significant drop in blood pressure.

Preparation for the test:

• The time required for the preparation and conduct of the test is about an hour.

• The patient shall not eat, smoke or drink beverages containing caffeine or alcohol for three hours before the test.

• Should continue all medications unless the doctor advises otherwise.

• Wear comfortable shoes and clothes suitable for exercise.

For consideration:

Electrodes are placed on the chest to record the electrical activity of the heart. You may feel a little burning where the electrode is located, which may also mean that the preparation is adequate, and that removing as much loose particles from skin, reduces distortion of the electrical signals, which translates into an easy interpretation of results.

The arm cuff is inflated several times during the test, causing. It measures of heart rate, blood pressure and ECG before exercise, during and at the completion of the test for the respective comparisons.

The patient starts walking on a treadmill. The speed and incline of the belt will gradually increase according to the settings chosen by your doctor. The duration of it is variable and depends on the physical condition, age and state of each individual.

Rarely, people experience chest discomfort, palpitations, dizziness, vertigo or difficulty breathing, same should be reported immediately to your doctor.

Indications of the study:

A stress test is performed to determine the causes of chest pain, exercise capacity of the heart, appropriate exercise levels in those beginning an exercise program and to identify rhythm disturbances during the meeting. There may be other reasons for the doctor requests this test.

Normally, heart rate and blood pressure increase in proportion to the workload and achieve appropriate levels according to age and physical preparation.

Abnormal results:

They may show a lack of fitness, dysrhythmias, abnormal or inappropriate increase in blood pressure or possible coronary heart disease.

What are the risks:

They are very safe as well as the proper description of the procedure is performed under strict medical supervision and continuous cardiovascular monitoring. Chest pain may be present, fainting. Very rarely, it presents a heart attack or a dangerous heart rhythm, but if this happens, the patient can receive immediate medical attention. The value of this test is that it is conducted in a controlled situation, different from what might happen in everyday life, with fatal consequences.

People who are likely to have such complications are excluded from the test and other studies are chosen to make or confirm the diagnosis.