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Last updated: 11/24/2009
A normal result of an exercise stress test shows normal electrocardiogram tracings and heart rate, blood pressure within the normal range, and no angina, unusual dizziness, or shortness of breath.
A number of abnormalities may appear on an exercise...
stress test. Examples of exercise-induced ECG abnormalities are ST segment depression or heart rhythm disturbances. These ECG abnormalities may indicate deprivation of blood to the heart muscle (ischemia) caused by narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. Stress test abnormalities generally require further diagnostic evaluation and therapy.
Patient education
Patients must be well prepared for a stress test. They should not only know the purpose of the test, but also signs and symptoms that indicate the test should be stopped. Physicians, nurses, and ECG technicians can ensure patient safety by encouraging them to immediately communicate discomfort at any time during the stress test.
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A physician explains coronary artery disease or CAD in this video. He covers the main type of damage that can occur to the coronary artery, namely atherosclerosis. The video also covers some of the serious consequences of CAD such as myocardial infarction (heart attack) and heart failure.
Doctors monitor a patient's vital signs during a stress test. (Photograph by Mug Shots. The Stock Market. Reproduced by permission.)
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Other Information
A cardiac stress test is a medical test that indirectly reflects arterial blood flow to the heart during physical exercise. When compared to blood flow during rest, the test reflects imbalances of blood flow to the heart's left ventricular muscle tissue – the part of the heart that performs the greatest amount of work pumping blood.
The results may also be interpreted as a reflection on a person's overall physical fitness.
Other Information
From 1979–2005, the total number of inpatient cardiovascular operations and procedures increased 484 percent to 6,989,000 annually. (AHA computation.)
From: AHA computation
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