Cardiologists use many different diagnostic tools and tests to determine your level of heart function. Thanks to modern technology, heart disease can be diagnosed and treated much earlier, giving you a better health outcome. One of the tests commonly used is an exercise stress test.
Dr. Manish Patel and Dr. Sainath Gaddam at Precision Cardiac and Vascular Care want to share the facts about when you may need an exercise stress test. They have two convenient office locations in DeSoto and Mansfield, TX, to take care of you and your heart.
According to the American Heart Association, an exercise stress test may be recommended in order to:
- Diagnose coronary artery disease
- Diagnose heart problems related to chest pain, breathing problems, or dizziness
- Check the effectiveness of certain cardiac procedures to treat coronary artery disease
- Predict the possibility of a heart attack
- Determine a safe level of exercise for you
Your cardiologist may also recommend a stress test if you are experiencing any of the signs or symptoms of heart disease, which include:
- Squeezing or pressure in your chest
- Chest pain that radiates into your arms, neck, jaws, or shoulders
- Chronic, recurrent chest pain that intensifies
- Chest pain accompanied by profuse sweating and breathing problems
- Irregular or rapid heartbeat or pulse
During your stress test appointment, equipment will be hooked up which allows your technician to monitor your heart. You then begin walking slowly on a treadmill. You will increase your pace, and the treadmill will be raised up to simulate an incline. You breathe into a tube for a few minutes. After the test, you will lie down or sit while your blood pressure and heart rate are recorded.
Patients with foot problems, arthritis, or other issues which may prevent them from walking on a treadmill, may be asked to do a nuclear stress test instead. During the nuclear stress test, medications are injected which increase the heart rate, simulating exercise stress.
For more information about exercise stress tests and other diagnostic tools and treatments, call Dr. Patel and Dr. Gaddam at Precision Cardiac and Vascular Care, with offices in DeSoto and Mansfield, TX. Call today!