Hello!
If it were me or my mother, I'd say no and would just go for a heart catheterization/ angiogram instead. The stress test is to see if you have an cardiac changes when your heart is "challenged" by a workout. An angiogram or heart cath is the next step in the process. The stress tests can be either done by a treadmill or chemical induction but they carry the risk of making a heart attack happen or worsen it if it already in progress.... Are you having the test because of angina (or other heart condition), or because they've just found the aneurysm? If it is for the aneurysm, I'd ask my Dr about having a CAT scan or angiogram instead. I don't know your medical history, but I do know that, if the aneurysm has a weak spot, the stress test can make it leak or rupture (or make it bigger) if your blood pressure climbs. Are you taking beta blockers for blood pressure or heart rate control? If so, a chemical stress test may be ineffectual because the effects of the stress drugs may be nullified by them...
Please talk to your cardiologist about this. Ask questions and, if you don't like the odds, refuse the test. (You do have the right to do this.) If your cardiologist refuses to answer your questions and explain the risks in detail, -get another. Do you have someone who can be an educated "advocate" for you? This will help to have a calm head in the room. Good luck. Most cardiologists are reasonable people and are willing to answer any questions. If it is a in-hospital general practitioner or internist ordering the test, I'd wait to have it done until I'd spoken with a cardiologist. -I hope this helps...Feel better, and stick to your guns if you don't like what is going on...(((((((((HUGZ)))))))~MM
My two cents worth is and the big question is who is administering the test and be absolutely sure that a heart doc is involved in this one. This is a matter of the heart and a heart doc should be handling it. Don;t be scared readhead....you are still here posting so that is one positive and secondly if the heart doc says yes a stress test is necessary then what better place could you possibly be to have the test in a place like a hospital where they have absolutely everything there to help you if things do go sideways on you. I definately would not have the test anywhere but a hospital setting. Obviously something must be right with your body even if you do have this issue because it hasn't leaked or ruptured and alot of docs say that they just want to keep an eye on it because many times they will correct themselves and shrink back down and re distribute back into your system. Only your doc knows what the risks are readhead and i am sure they will be prepared for anything that could happen NOT what will happen. I cannot think of any doc that would purposely put you at risk because they would have zip to gain and everything to lose.......like MM said...get pro active, ask questions, ask how they will be prepared if something pops up....it is much better to know than to not know and live your life like that...good luck we;re here for you......