Stress Testing Specialist

What is stress testing?

Stress testing shows how well your heart works during physical activity.

One type of stress test requires that you walk on a treadmill or use a stationary bike. While you exercise, the providers at Cary Cardiology, P.A., monitor your breathing, your heart rhythm, and your blood pressure.

There is also a nuclear stress test that uses imaging technology and radioactive dye to evaluate the blood flow to your heart while you’re at rest and during exercise.

Why would I need stress testing?

The providers at Cary Cardiology, P.A., might recommend stress testing as part of your diagnostic evaluation for chest pain or shortness of breath. These symptoms may relate to coronary artery disease.

You might also need a nuclear stress test if you have an existing heart condition that needs monitoring.

What can I expect during stress testing?

During an exercise stress test, you walk on a treadmill while your physician monitors your breathing and heart’s activity. If you’re unable to exercise, there is a medication you can take that replicates the effects of exercise on your heart.

If you’re having an exercise stress test combined with a nuclear stress test, your Cary Cardiology, P.A., provider will start an intravenous (IV) line into your arm and inject a radioactive dye. Your heart cells will absorb the stain in about 40 minutes, and then you will undergo a diagnostic imaging test to take pictures of your heart at rest.

The second phase of your nuclear stress test involves exercising while you wear heart monitors and a blood pressure cuff. Again, you can receive medication if you can’t exercise to speed up your heart.

Will I need other types of testing?

If your stress test doesn’t confirm your diagnosis, your Cary Cardiology, P.A., provider might recommend additional testing, including a stress echocardiogram.

A stress echocardiogram is a diagnostic test that assesses how well your heart works when under stress.

During a stress echocardiogram, your Cary Cardiology, P.A., provider places a transducer on your chest. This transducer sends sound waves through your skin and body tissues that bounce off the structures of your heart. The sound waves create real-time images of your heart walls and valves, and the device sends the images to a computer monitor.

A stress echocardiogram is a non-invasive test, so you can resume your usual activities after your procedure is complete. Your Cary Cardiology, P.A., physician reviews the images of your heart to identify abnormalities that might interfere with your heart’s function. 

Find out more about the benefits of stress testing by calling the Cary Cardiology, P.A., office nearest you or booking a consultation online today.