treadmill stress tests

[museumman]

I am 76, walk ten miles a day, and yet recently I had two heart attacks in 5 days.  I work heavily outdoors and my diet is vigilant.  I write this to all who have had stress tests on the treadmills.  My question is this:  dont we have much to learn for quality medical interppretaion of results of the stress test?
Does protocol for a 16 year older, to be safe for the forty year old person??   Stress test can and do involve risk of INDUCING a heart attack!  Is this good procedure??  a man in Maine

[Clarissairene]

Hi there,
Not sure I can help with your question but I just took a stress test 2 days ago. I am 29 and out of shape and have arrythmias of some sort.

I can tell you I felt really safe. The doctor was there the whole time and the minute I felt funny/weak they stopped the test. They said that they would make me go up to a certain heart rate depending on my age, for me it was 185. So for your age it will be totally different!

[Waleygator]

I had my first treadmill test 8 days ago as part of a nuclear stress test procedure.  I felt very safe also, although pretty apprehensive about it being the first time.

Once I reached my target (144) I held it for several minutes, and was constantly being asked if I needed to stop, lower the treadmill elevation, speed, etc.  My heart doctor was there the entire time and had constant monitoring of my BP, etc.

The nuclear stress test showed an "abnormality", which was followed two days later by a cardiac cath and having a stint placed in my right coronary artery.

Do I want to do it again?  Heck NO...but if I have to, I won't hesitate, as definitely feel a lot better now!

[va_tony]

I've had about ten treadmill tests and every time my vitals were closely monitored by a cardiologist and a nurse. If you reach your target heart rate or experience an arrhythmia, they immediately shut down the test. So, generally you're under medical supervision during and after and generally pretty safe.  Having said that, I do recall being in the cardiologists waiting room when an EMT team rushed in a later carried out an elderly gentleman (who was obviously experiencing discomfort and angina.. maybe heart attack?) ho had been taking a stress test.

[canihelp]

I had a stress treadmill test done last week.  Well, sortof !!  It was done by internal Medicine dr, and he had told me to lay off my beta blocker the day before, so he could get the heart rate up.  Weeelllll.  I did, and when she started the treadmill, she must have been a "looney" because it was going up a steep hill- incline.   (I'm 51 next week) I started having bad PVCs right away because she didn't give me time to warm up on level, slow, etc...  The doctor kept telling me to try to keep going, that they were just PVCs,... yeah right.  They kept getting worse.  So I stopped & said I've had enough!!  I can't do this with my heart skipping like this, I feel about to pass out!  So they quit.  

I had & have been since-- walking & jogging on my treadmill at home, etc.. with great success, but I'm on my beta blocker of course, and I don't start it off on incline. I'm working out on that & other equipment almost daily & do great.

I swear that no one except the Heart doctor & his staff will EVER give me any tests in the future!!  I really felt they were totally ridiculous in their efforts. There was no real reason for giving me one anyway, except to MAKE SURE there was no blockage.  My EKGs always come back fine.

I'd had one before (years ago) and it wasn't like that.  We have to watch out for ourselves also & not depend entirely on others to be goof free.