What is a stress test?
A stress test examines your heart’s response to exercise. The purpose of most stress tests is to find out if your heart is getting enough blood and oxygen. During a stress test, your heart rate, blood pressure, and electrical activity of your heart are monitored.

The test can show:

• If you have coronary artery disease
• If you might be at right for a heart attack
• The cause of symptoms like chest pain (angina)
• Whether you have irregular heart rhythms
• Whether treatment -- medications or angioplasty -- has improved your heart function

During the test, you will be asked to walk on a treadmill. The goal is to increase the heart rate to a certain level, depending on your age. Patients who cannot exercise may receive a medication to mimic exercise.

During a nuclear stress test, the technician inserts and intravenous line in your arm. A small amount of a tracer called thallium or technetium is injected through the iv into your blood stream. The tracer allows pictures to be taken of your heart. The tracer has a small amount of radioactivity, similar to the amount from a CT scan. After the tracer is injected, you will like on a table underneath a special camera. The camera takes images of your heart. Any part of the heart that does not receive enough blood and oxygen will also not receive the tracer, and appears dark on the image. The ejection fraction of the heart will also be measured.

How should I prepare for the procedure?
Patients should not eat or drink anything the morning of the test. Most medications can be taken in the morning with a sip of water. There is no need to stop aspirin before the test. Diabetics should not take insulin or diabetic medication.

Wear comfortable clothes and shoes (sneakers). You should expect to spend 4-5 hours for testing. There will be two sets of pictures – one after exercise and one at rest. There will be a break in between the pictures and you will be able to have lunch.