Cardiac stress test 

A cardiac stress test is a medical test performed to evaluate arterial blood flow to (and indirectly the amount of oxygen that will reach) the myocardium (heart muscle) during physical exercise, compared to blood flow while at rest.

As an exercise test, the results can also reflect overall physical fitness.

Findings from  cardiac stress test

Diagnosis of coronary artery disease and severity of the coronary artery disease.

Functional capacity of patients with heart disease.

Monitoring the progress of patients with congestive heart failure.

How  cardiac stress test is done

An ECG machine is attached to the patient and  blood pressure cuff is placed on one arm.

After a baseline ECG is obtained, the patient begins to perform a low level of exercise, either by walking on a treadmill, or pedaling a stationary bicycle.  

Every 3 minutes, the level of exercise is increased.

 At each stage of exercise, the following are recorded:

1. the pulse

2. blood pressure

3. ECG are recorded,

4. Symptoms 

Maximal stress test

The aim of the maximal stress test is  diagnose the presence of coronary artery disease.

In maximal stress test, the level of exercise is gradually increased until the patient cannot keep up any longer. due to any of the following:

 fatigue,

chest pain

shortness of breath

Maximal stress tests should be performed when the goal is to diagnose the presence or absence of coronary artery disease.

Submaximal stress test

The aim of the maximal stress test is  detemine specific level of exercise can be performed safely in the patients with known coronary artery disease

With submaximal" stress test, patient is exceised to a pre-determined level only.

After the test 

The patient will be  monitored until any symptoms disappear, and until the pulse, blood pressure and ECG return to baseline.