What is involved in a stress echo test?

What is involved in a stress echo test?

You will lie on your back and on your left side. A stress lab technician will prep ten small areas on your chest and place electrodes (small, flat, sticky patches) on these areas. The electrodes are attached to an EKG monitor that charts your heart’s electrical activity during the test.

How long does it take to do a stress echocardiogram?

The test takes from 30-60 minutes. Prior to exercising, an echocardiogram is done by applying colorless gel to the chest and placing the echo transducer on top of it. You will also wear a blood pressure cuff to allow blood pressure monitoring.

Which is more accurate stress test or echocardiogram?

For comparison, an echocardiogram uses ultrasonic waves instead of dye to monitor blood circulation through your heart. While tests such as the nuclear stress test or echocardiogram may be more accurate and diagnostic for some people, they are often more expensive.

Will a stress echo show blockages?

The stress echo is especially useful in diagnosing coronary heart disease and the presence of blockages in the coronary arteries (the vessels that supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle).

What would cause an abnormal stress test?

Abnormal results may be due to: Reduced blood flow to a part of the heart. The most likely cause is a narrowing or blockage of one or more of the arteries that supply your heart muscle. Scarring of the heart muscle due to a previous heart attack.

How will I feel after a nuclear stress test?

It is normal to feel short of breath, pressure in head chest or belly. The side effects go away within a couple of minutes. We can also give you a reversal medication, if needed, to take away the side effects. You will receive a second injection of the tracer so we can see the stress blood flow to your heart muscle.

Can a nuclear stress test damage your heart?

Although extremely rare, it’s possible that a nuclear stress test could cause a heart attack. Dizziness or chest pain. These symptoms can occur during a stress test.

How often should you have a nuclear stress test done?

As of today CMS (Medicare) will only allow nuclear testing every 2 years, if the patient is asymptomatic.