Stress test: what it can tell us

[53' Stude]

Good Afternoon BITOGERS

Mom had a physical stresss test Monday. Walked on treadmill, they gave her injection; she didn’t say what it was. She feels good and is fairly healthy for being almost 72 years old. I didn’t google this as I know we have medical folks here that know way more than me. Thank You all in advance.

 

[64bawagon]

The injections are intended to put "stress" on the heart, hence the name stress test. They then watch for EKG changes that might indicate blockages or rhythm issues. They also catalog the EKG and use it ti compare with future test, changes in the EKG can tell them if certain cardiac issues are worsening.

 

[53' Stude]

The injections are intended to put "stress" on the heart, hence the name stress test. They then watch for EKG changes that might indicate blockages or rhythm issues. They also catalog the EKG and use it ti compare with future test, changes in the EKG can tell them if certain cardiac issues are worsening.

Thank You kindly for the realistic reaponse instead of the jokers reply.

Very informative so thank you for this

 

[Boomer]

Seventeen years ago when I was 56, my doctor sent me in to the hospital for a stress test and chest x-ray as I was having a pain under my sternum after walking several miles. He thought I had a lung infection as i was doing 100 mile bike rides and walking long distances. Long story short... the stress test (done without drugs but with an increasing slope and speed of the treadmill) caught enough abnormalities that the doctor yelled, "Get him off, get him off." Turned out I never left the hospital but stayed for a quad bypass. The stress test, whether chemical or physical stress, can really catch issues. I did not have a heart attack or any heart damage so I was really lucky but if it had not been caught by the stress test, I could have had a serious issue as all four bypassed arteries were over 95% blocked I was told. I exercised enough that I had grown some blood flow passages around the blocks apparently.

Be glad she had this done. Even if it all turns out OK this time, at least she has a background test against which future ones can be compared. Best of luck to her!!

 

[billt460]

Good Afternoon BITOGERS

Mom had a physical stresss test Monday. Walked on treadmill, they gave her injection; she didn’t say what it was. She feels good and is fairly healthy for being almost 72 years old. I didn’t google this as I know we have medical folks here that know way more than me. Thank You all in advance.

The injection depends on the type of stress test they gave her. I've had this done twice in my life, and the injection consisted of a nuclear isotope. The test went something like this....

First they run you ragged on a treadmill, to get your heart rate up to a specified range. (This is carefully monitored by either the doctor, and / or the nursing staff). Then you lay down on a table and they scan you. You're still breathing fairly heavy at this point. Then you rest for about a half hour or so, and then they scan you again while your heart is at rest.

From these 2 scans they can detect any arterial blockage you might have. The nuclear material they inject into your blood has a very short half life of just several hours. And it allows any blockages to be observed during the scanning process.

I had it done coincidentally about 2 months before we ended up selling our house and moving. I passed the stress test with flying colors, and my cardiologist gave me the green light to exert myself as much as I chose to.... Which I REALLY DID during the course of moving. So I was very glad I had the test done. If you exert yourself with any substantial arterial blockage, you can easily have a heart attack.

 

[K.Aoi]

I have a friend who was 38 years old, and went in for a routine stress test. Felt totally fine, no symptoms of any issues. The stress test showed that he had had a double total blockage probably 6 or so months prior. His ejection fraction was 30%, it's a miracle he was able to exert himself. He had to go in for a double bypass. He's doing well now, but he never would have known if it wasn't for the stress test- until he was out of the compensatory period and into heart failure.

As other said, stress tests, as the name implies, puts stress on your heart while you're hooked up to a 12 lead EKG. The way EKGs work is that if you have damaged heart muscle, or ischemic heart muscle (lack of oxygen) it shows up as changes on those EKGs. Sometimes those changes only become obvious when the heart is put under stress, like when exercising. Here's a good video that goes over the basics of EKGs, you can find a lot of good info on youtube on the topic.

 

[benjy]

another very good or even better is a CAC scan, it shows how much plaque is present. Ivor Cummins + irish heart institute endorses this + depending on your score you CAN make lifestyle changes to improve before you continually get worse + as many nutritional pros note the carbohydrates + seed oils are doing the damage not healthy saturated fats!! CAC scans are best done earlier in life especially if overweight or suspect other health issues! glad for those that found issues before a heart attack that could be prevented by a healthier lifestyle,

 

[doublebase]

Sounds like a nuclear stress test, without being a doctor I’ve heard it’s pretty good at detecting things. I’ve had one...if I remember, they scanned me first, then injected the dye, then ran me hard on that treadmill...then they had me eat a breakfast sandwich, something very fatty, then they scanned me again. It was over ten years ago, so the sequences might not be 100%, but I definitely remember sitting in the waiting room eating a McDonalds breakfast sandwich with bacon.

The other stress test is simply an injection and no treadmill/cardio. The injection itself stresses your heart.

And the last one is just the treadmill and no injection.

I’ve done all three...and I’ve also seen a man have a heart attack with the nuclear stress test while I was getting mine done. I was getting scanned while he was on the treadmill and he had a heart attack. Nurses, doctors surrounded him while he sat and paramedics. I was shocked they even had this guy get on that treadmill, he could barely walk without losing his breath.

 

[bullwinkle]

Cardiac catheterization (angiogram) can be done without a treadmill now-an IV is placed to speed up the heart rate, radioactive isotopes are placed in the IV, and a patient is strapped to a bed and run through a big MRI-like machine with a catheter installed, either through the wrist or thigh. I had one done because I had weird recurring pain along the top of my chest, the result was actually pretty good, less than 20% blockage in only one artery (never figured out the cause, was either stress or possibly pleurisy). It can tell a lot, but it’s not cheap-even with insurance my out-of-pocket cost was over $10K. Cheaper than sudden death…

 

[alarmguy]

If you really want the most accurate answer call to find out what kind of stress test she was given.
I suspect a nuclear stress test, dont let the name scare you, its very/most common now and the correct way to do a stress test. Built360 in his post was spot on, also for more information just google it.

A stress test can be done without a treadmill IF the person is not capable of walking on one, the stress on the heart is then induced through an injection meant to stress the heart and mimic the treadmill stress test.

Its important to know a stress test is not reliable to show blockages of roughly less then 60 or 70 percent. So you can pass one with flying colors but still have a blockage or blockages of 60% or more.

Do to family history I have had a few nuclear stress tests, I did well even on the last one which was just recently in early 2021. But with my family history and some symptoms I was having, we then went onto the next test, which is the gold standard, bar none, to check the condition of your arteries and for any blockages and possible future trouble. That test which is the gold standard is an coronary angiogram.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/coronary-angiogram/about/pac-20384904
It is invasive and with any invasive procedure there is a chance of a complication. Anyway, because again of family history I jumped on it when they suggested it. Actually I was thrilled. I now know EXACTLY what I am dealing with and made my life adjustments which I was doing anyway to the most healthy diet I know as well as two gym classes a week of intense exercise as I have minimal plaque spots "all over" Doctor feels the way I am going with my diet -Fish, chicken, fruit, veggies I may never need intervention.

Its actually pretty cool if your into electronics and stuff as your awake though groggy for the procedure so you may or may not remember all of it but I remember watching multiple monitors and the technology with actual images of my arteries on the screens wrapped around my heart I believe. It was kind of eerie like a dream state ... The doctor then did speak to me as he was finishing but then when done went out and spoke to my wife because he said I most likely will not remember what he said, he was right, I didnt *LOL*

Since it is more expensive, insurance may not pay/approve unless you get a failing grade on the stress test or unless you complain to your doctors something still isnt right. You may need to be persistent with your doctor to get approval (or have proactive doctor) and I am only saying this so your mom doesnt ignore any issues because she did well on the stress test.

Anyway, you can call the doctor and only way to know for sure is ask if it was a nuclear stress test, I suspect it was and why the injection. You can then do a search on the type test she had.

Ps. I am NOT in the medical field, do not have any medical education, any part of my post is what I believe to be true and that of family who have had heart issues. Always talk to the doctor and with that said, if your mom still complains she should never keep that from her doctor just because one test came back good.

 

[turnbull]

I wish I never need to go for a stress test. It's enough stress in my everyday life.

 

[tnt_motorsports]

Good Afternoon BITOGERS

Mom had a physical stresss test Monday. Walked on treadmill, they gave her injection; she didn’t say what it was. She feels good and is fairly healthy for being almost 72 years old. I didn’t google this as I know we have medical folks here that know way more than me. Thank You all in advance.

Basically it’s going to tell you the conditions of your cardio pulmonary system. It is an indicator of how hard your heart has to work given your cardiovascular system.

I’ve been going for several years every other year. I lost my father when he was age 40 to a massive heart attack. He had had multiple ones before the fatal one. I turned 45 a couple weeks ago and I’m thankful every day I wake up.

Just my $0.02

 

[Malo83]

NAVY handed out stress testers that you put your thumb on and checked the color to see how you are.

 

[benjy]

depending on what stress test is used info varies. my aunt had a nuclear stress test said to be equivalent to 400 chest X-rays for radiation!! the CAC i mentioned is non invasive + minimal radiation + shows the inside of your veins as heart disease is actually lack of blood flow that carries nutrients + OXYGEN arterioscelerosis its not used much in USA because other procedures make more $$$$!! if your score is poor you can usually fix it with a strict low carb diet for little cost, but it takes time. depending on your beliefs + many pros note LDL means little + only oxidized VLDL causes issues + theres a test NMR that shows the problem small particle count that comes from grains + sugars according to DR William Davis a cardiologist + author of Wheat Belly. YOU can help yourself be healthier for sure!!

 

[OVERKILL]

Were you there for the test?

By far the most common is your basic Stress/Echo. They hook you up to an ECG:
https://www.noravmedical.com/stress-ecg

And then do an echo (ultrasound) on you to get the required imaging. I get a cardiac echo every 6 months, but not under stress.

They will sometimes use an injection like dobutamine to artificially increase the stress level. This kind of stress test can also be done without the treadmill if somebody is high risk.