Stress Echocardiogram

General

The Stress Echocardiogram:

• is performed by a technician and a General Practitioner
• generally takes 60-90 minutes to complete
• is conducted at a Medical Clinic or Hospital

A Stress Echocardiogram is usually done to find out if you might have decreased blood flow to your heart (coronary artery disease, or CAD).

Procedure

A Stress Echo is made up of three parts:

• An Echocardiogram
• Stress (Exercise) ECG
• A repeat Echocardiogram while the heart is beating at its optimal rate

An Echocardiogram is performed first. Then the doctor will place the applicant on a treadmill to increase heart rate, and then perform a final Echocardiogram. Electrodes will be attached to the applicant's upper torso to monitor the heart. During this test, the applicant's blood pressure is monitored at regular intervals.

Preparation

• Applicants should wear comfortable clothing and sports or running shoes for this test
• Applicants should not eat for two hours prior to this test to avoid any nausea.
• If applicants are diabetic or take any medication, they will need to seek further instructions.