Treadmill Testing Overview
In a stress test, you walk on a treadmill that makes your heart work progressively harder. An electrocardiogram (ECG) monitors your heart’s electrical rhythms. The doctor also measures your blood pressure and monitors whether you have symptoms like chest discomfort or fatigue. Abnormalities in blood pressure, heart rate, or ECG or worsening physical symptoms could point to coronary artery disease (CAD): fatty deposits (plaques) that reduce the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle.
How is treadmill stress testing done?
- Your test will take place in the stress lab in front of a physician.
- Electrodes will be placed at different places on your chest. These are attached to an electrocardiograph (EKG) monitor that charts your heart’s electrical activity during the test.
- Before you start exercising, the technician will take your EKG, heart rate and blood pressure.
- Next, you will walk on the treadmill, the speed of which will be gradually increased until you feel exhausted.
- If you experience extreme shortness of breath, dizziness, light-headedness, arm or jaw pain or chest pain or discomfort, you need to inform your technician.
- The technician will stop the test if he sees any unusual change on the EKG monitor.
How to prepare for treadmill stress testing?
To pass your treadmill stress test i.e., to have a successful treadmill stress test, you need to avoid the following things for at least three hours before the test:
Eating or drinking anything except water
Avoid Consuming anything that contains caffeine
Consuming tobacco in any form