Treadmill Stress Testing

Treadmill Stress Testing is done by the cardiologist to provide information about how the heart responds to exertion. It involves walking on a treadmill at increasing levels of difficulty, while a patient is connected to an electrocardiogram. Heart rate and blood pressure are also monitored. Stress testing may also be done by administering drugs which stress the heart in a way similar to walking on the treadmill. This procedure and treadmill testing are frequently done together with nuclear testing or echocardiographic stress testing. Patients are brought to the exercise laboratory at HRMC where the heart rate and blood pressure are recorded at rest. Sticky electrodes are attached to the chest, shoulders and hips and connected to the EKG portion of the stress test machine. The best results are recorded on paper. A treadmill stress test may be recommended by a physician for patients who experience symptoms or have risk factors that suggest coronary artery diseases, unexplained shortness of breath, or an irregular heartbeat; such a test may also be necessary to evaluate blood pressure response to exercise.