What will a stress test show you

I am wondering what a stress test will show you? Will it show you anything more than a echo does? I have had two of those done so far and nothing yet from the cardiologist. I just cannot get over these rapid rates and feelings like passing out when it does it. Wondering if I should talk to the dr about doing one or not . I want some answers about this. Some people say maybe panic attacks donig it. But geez, when doing dishes and waking me up at night. I don't think it would. Can anyone help me out. Let me tell you some things about me. I am a 40 yr old mom of 5 and active just around 30 lb over weight and do as much as I can to keep active. No smoking or drinking. So not sure what else would help determine this. Thanks

[Jerzeegal]

Yes it does show more than an echo does. The stress does shows how you heart handles exercise. You pretty much walk on the treadmill while they monitor your heart rate and bp. They gradually increase the speed and incline of the treadmill to make your heart work harder. Some of things it can determine are  coronary artery disease
possible heart-related cause of symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath or lightheadedness
Determine a safe level of exercise
Check the effectiveness of procedures done to improve coronary artery circulation in patients with coronary artery disease
Predict risk of dangerous heart-related conditions such as a heart attack.

I have had one done every couple of years, I just get tired afterwards but that's about it.

Jerz

[bobboberan]

Oh I'm afraid that the stress test tells very little if anything at all sorry but  I get chest tightness in the cold air which can only be dealt with by Nitro spray always tired and breathing is sometimes difficult sometimes not sometimes often and never never . Heres the clencher I had several EKGs plus one XRay EKG is a stress test at rest....a treadmill stress test is supposedly 64% efficient thats not a good margin and a basic EKG or several of them is no less efficient now heres the kick in the *** I had a heart attack AFTER these tests . I took my little quiz to 2 internists and 3 GPs and asked them why and instructed them as to how useful an EKG , Xrays , and STRESS TEST is the best they could do with the documented heart attack is either look at me with a spaced out docile look or answer there are gray areas . There is nothing they could say in defense nothing and I mean NOTHING stress test is garbage EKG is garbage , Xrays are garbage ECHOCADIOGRAM AND MRI are not . I am ashamed that those silly peices of garbage are even found in medical centers anymore and futhermore the stethescope  is just short of dumb because it hears nothing YOU CANNOT HEAR ESCHEMIA with them lol please do not pass out false information !

[Artaud]

Hi,

Actually, a Stress Test does reveal the much about the heart, especially a Cardiolite or Thallium Stress Test. In these Tests, you exercise on the treadmill as usual, and just as you feel that you won't be able to go on for more than a minute or so, they inject a mildly radioactive substance into your blood. This settles in the areas of the heart that are well supplied with blood. They then take a special CT Scan to see if your heart is well perfused with blood. If not, you have problems with the circulation of blood to your heart. The test is repeated again, without requiring exercise, about an hour after the first CT Scan. This is to see the blood distribution to your heart while at rest, and allows them to compare the resting and exertional heart.

I labored at my Stress Test, completing about 7 minutes worth of exercise, but everything went well. While I was there, I saw a petite woman taken in for the Stress Test, I could hear the Heart Monitor beeps corresponding to her heart rate. All of a sudden, an entire series of very rapid beats could be heard, they discontinued the test and sent her for a Cath of her heart. I was not the rapid beats in themselves that required her to need the Cath, it was the characteristics of her EKG that were a problem.

Stress Tests are very useful tools in understanding the health of the heart, both from a rhythm perspective and from a perfusion (blood supply) perspective.

Be well.