echo stress test/ekg stress test

[rosequartz]

I dont know whether to have a echo stress test or a normal ekg stress test.What is the difference? Does the echo stress include ekg or is it seperate?Does one show up ischemia and the other valve problems is that right?Am a little confused.

[kenkeith]

When using EKG and blood pressure monitoring alone the test is variously called a cardiac stress test, exercise stress test, exercise treadmill test, exercise tolerance test, stress test or exercise ECG test. Heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, EKG, and how tired you feel are monitored during the test.

The patient either walks on a treadmill or is given an intravenous (IV) medication that simulates exercise while connected to an EKG  machine, usually with the standard 10 connections used to record a 12-lead EKG. The level of exercise is increased in 3-minute stages of progressively increased grade (% incline) and speed (mph, km/h, etc). The patient's symptoms and blood pressure response are repeatedly checked.

ECHO stress test includes EKG.
Procedure:  The patient is brought to the Echo laboratory where a "resting" study is performed. This provides a baseline examination and demonstrates the size and function of various chambers of the heart. Particular attention is paid to the movement of all walls of the left ventricle (LV). Similar to a regular echo test, sticky patches or electrodes are attached to the chest and shoulders and connected to electrodes or wires to record the electrocardiogram. The EKG helps in the timing of various cardiac events (filling and emptying of chambers).

[Momto3]

I've had standard (treadmill) stress tests as well as stress echos. For the stress echo, the tech performs a very quick echocardiogram prior to me getting on the treadmill.  Just as I am about to finish on the treadmill, I'm told to be prepared to be whisked over to a table for another echo.  They stop the treadmill and within seconds, I am back on my left side (heart pounding!) and the tech performs a second echo to see how my heart functions under stress.

I don't know if the stress echo is accompanied by an actual EKG, but there is a constant ticker on the bottom of the screen which looks like an EKG??  

[kenkeith]

An EKG records electrical impulses as it passes through the heart.  The theory is electrical impulses can determine thickness of heart walls, enlarged chambers, damaged heart muscle, etc. by determining the time it takes for an electrical impulse to pass through damaged tissue, enlarged heart, ischemia, etc. as well as voltage changes associated with a condition.  An EKG is good to dx rhythm problems.

An echocardiogram uses ultra sound that provides a visual image on the monitor and records the images to a CD as the heart is beating.  Dimension of heart walls, chambers, etc. are calculated by the echo software. The heart valves are evaluated for functionality and structure normality.  The heart's pumping ability is calculated, etc.

A stress test is used to determine if and where there may be vessel blockage.  This is accomplished by injecting a contrast dye into the blood stream and images should show if the dye is passing through vessels without any obstruction or partial obstruction.

An echo does not include an EKG.  The stress test uses an EKG to monitor vital signs and take note of any abnormal change when exercising or virtual exercising with medication.