Stress Testing Specialist

What is stress testing?

Stress testing is a cardiac diagnostic tool that evaluates the health of your heart when it’s pumping harder and faster. By increasing the exertion of your heart, the test may reveal blood flow issues that aren’t as noticeable from tests performed while your heart is at rest.

What is regular stress testing?

Regular stress testing is the standard stress test. During this test, the team at Laurelton Heart Specialists increases your heart rate with exercise or medication.

Before you begin, your cardiologist reviews your medical history, checks your blood pressure, and asks about your exercise tolerance (to help determine the best method for performing your stress test). 

A technician then attaches electrodes to your test that are connected to an electrocardiogram (EKG), which monitors the electrical activity of your heart throughout the test.

Once you’re ready, your cardiologist uses exercise or medication to increase the rate of your heartbeat to a set number or until you start experiencing chest pain or other symptoms.

The entire test takes about an hour, but the exercise portion usually takes only 15 minutes.  

What is nuclear stress testing?

Nuclear stress testing also assesses heart health when your heart is pumping hard and fast. However, this test also includes imaging. During the test, the team injects radioactive dye into your body and uses a special imaging tool that captures the flow of blood through your heart.

The team conducts the nuclear imaging when your heart is at rest and after your heart rate has been increased. 

You can expect to spend about three hours at Laurelton Heart Specialists during a nuclear stress test. 

Why would I need stress testing?

The cardiologists review the specifics of your stress testing prior to the exam, including why you need the test. Stress testing is often recommended to confirm or rule out coronary heart disease and heart rhythm problems. The tests are also used to assess the effectiveness of your treatments.

The nuclear stress test provides even more detailed information and is used to assess the severity of your coronary heart disease (degree of blockage of the coronary artery), as well as to assess heart damage after a heart attack.

To schedule a cardiac evaluation with the experienced team at Laurelton Heart Specialists so you can learn more about stress testing, call the office or book online today.