Stress Echocardiography
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True Care Cardiology
Stress Echocardiography
A stress echocardiogram utilizes transthoracic echocardiography, but images are captured both before and after you exercise or receive medication to increase your heart rate. This helps your doctor assess how your heart functions under stress.
The test can also reveal signs of heart failure, high blood pressure, and other cardiovascular issues.
What to Expect
Your doctor will place patches on your chest that connect to the echocardiogram machine.
To slightly increase the stress on your heart, one of the following methods will be used:
- Exercising on a treadmill or stationary bike
- Administering medications like dobutamine
- Adjusting a pacemaker, if you have one
The echocardiogram and other monitoring devices will gather data at intervals to evaluate how your heart responds and performs.
During the test, your heart rhythm, breathing, and blood pressure will be measured.
For an Exercise Stress Test:
Before your appointment, your doctor will inform you of any necessary changes, such as stopping specific medications prior to the test. The stress echocardiogram typically lasts about 20 to 30 minutes, but this can vary based on the duration of your exercise or how long it takes for the medication to elevate your heart rate.
Wear comfortable shoes for walking/running on the threadmill.