Is echo stress test as good or better than echocardiogram?

[Richard1030]

I have been waiting for an echocardiogram since September, ordered by my primary care.  I just got a call yesterday to schedule me on Tuesday.  I wanted to be sure if this was the right test so I asked if it was an echocardiogram.  They told me it was actually an echo stress test and that they do the ultra sound before and after they put my heart under stress.  Since I have neuropathy in both feet and legs they are going to use a drug to increase my heart rate.  I was skeptical at first if the echo stress test was as good.  But after some reading on the internet, it appears to me that the echo stress test could be better since it appears to be almost the same as an echocardiogram, except it is done before and after your heart rate is put under stress.

Does this sound logical to others on this group?  And also what are your thoughts on the echo stress test?

Thanks for all your help, now, and in the recent past since I have joined this group.  The support has been a tremendous help getting through all I have been dealing with.

[LivingInHope]

They used to inject thallium but there is a newer injectable now that is supposed to be not as hard on the kidneys, etc. that was used on me this last time.

[LaLa4]

Do you all know how an echo stress test differs or is better than a regular stress test??

[LivingInHope]

They probably amongst other things, are wanting to find out the ejection fraction on your heart with the echo-stress test.  

When I had an angiogram after an abnormal nuclear medicine test for my heart and I was having chest pains, likely due to iron deficiency, the doctor who performed it tried to encourage me to drink a lot (of course I wasn't supposed to drink prior to the test).  Someone had said "low volume" during the test.  Well, I think I let him know that previous to the NPO for the test, I'd had a nurse ask me if the bed side commode had water or urine in it because the urine was that dilute.  It would be good if they could learn more about the pathophysiology of POTS and how to treat it better.  

[Richard1030]

When I had the stress test in NH, they did not mention dehydration.  When I got to the VA in Atlanta, GA they gave me a liter of fluids, each time I showed up at the ER, and always asked if I was getting enough water.  I usually drink, at least, 2 quarts of water a day.  When I spent 4 days in the hospital they gave me a liter of fluids every day, each over a 6 hour time period.  It didn't do much for the orthostatic hypotension

[LivingInHope]

When that happened, did they bring up wondering if you were well hydrated or not?  It seemed like that happened to me a number of times.  They wanted to push fluids in a doctor's office.  

[Richard1030]

I misspoke.  My BP did fall, not rise, when I stood.

[LivingInHope]

Are you sure they did not call your blood pressure rising considerably upon standing orthostatic HYPERtension?    Because orthostatic hypotension is when the blood pressure drops with standing.  Have they done a standing norepinephrine blood test on you?  As for getting your heart rate up for the treadmill- do you have the heart of an athlete, conditioned?  

[Richard1030]

Meagan,

I have mixed feelings about the VA.  When I was diagnosed with a suspicious lump on my kidney, it took a very short time before they diagnosed it as cancer, scheduled surgery and took out the kidney.  They were great and got all the cancer and 2 years later I have no more cancer.  That was at the Atlanta, GA VAMC

This past summer, I was in NH for a few months and started feeling all the things that are wrong now.  I went to the Manchester, NH VA Urgent Care 3 different times.  First I was diagnosed as having a reaction to medication changes.  The doctor who originally changed the meds said it was not that.  The second time the nurse practitioner I saw diagnosed it as constipation due to all my meds and sent me home with laxatives.  Didn't help.  The third time I saw a doctor who ordered a stress test.  At the stress test they noticed my BP rising considerably when I went from lieing to standing.  When I asked if that meant anything I was told it meant I had to be careful standing up.  In GA that was diagnosed as orthostatic hypotension..  When they tried to get my heart rate up on the treadmill it did not work and they had to do a chemically induced stress test.  That was diagnosed in GA as bradychardia.

This time in GA I have had a hard time getting my tests scheduled.  No one seems to be taking my condition seriously.  As far as the medical people I have actually dealt with here in GA, they are great, once I get to see them.

I guess it comes down to what VA you go to.

[Richard1030]

Thank you.  That is what I thought.  I am seeing a neurologist for the neuropathy and he recommended a medication that he would send and was going to request a brain MRI to confirm what the CT scan report said.  That was on Nov. 2.  After 3 tries I got through to the neurology department and found out he has not finished his notes, so the meds and the MRI have not been ordered yet.  The nurse said she would get hold of him and get those done.  Such are things in the VA medical system.

Thanks.