Patient Guide
Stress Test
A cardiac stress test is one of the basic examinations used to diagnose conditions such as coronary artery disease, arrhythmia or irregular heart beat, or to check on the effectiveness of balloon angioplasty procedures or coronary artery bypass surgery. Stress tests are non-invasive and relatively low risk procedures whereby the heart muscle is exercised so that the electrical activity of the heart may be monitored under conditions of physical stress. Often, it is possible to discover heart problems while the heart is stressed, whereas those conditions may not be apparent at other times. A cardiac stress test will often be ordered by your physician when you have experienced symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath, signs that your heart is not getting enough oxygen, or signs that you may be at risk for a heart attack.
