TMT

A stress test, sometimes called a treadmill test or exercise test, helps to find out how well your heart handles work. As your body works harder during the test, it requires more oxygen, so the heart must pump more blood. The test can show if the blood supply is reduced in the arteries that supply the heart. It also helps to know the kind and level of exercise appropriate for a patient.

An exercise stress test may be used to:

• Diagnose coronary artery disease
• Diagnose a possible heart-related cause of symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath or lightheadedness
• Determine a safe level of exercise
• Check the effectiveness of procedures done to improve coronary artery circulation in patients with coronary artery disease
• Predict risk of dangerous heart-related conditions such as a heart attack.

Depending on the results of the exercise stress test, the physician may recommend more tests such as a nuclear stress test or cardiac catheterization.