Cardiac stress test

A cardiac stress test is a diagnostic study used to look for serious heart conditions such as arrhythmias or coronary artery disease (CAD). It is frequently indicated in patients with chest pain and cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes or high cholesterol. It is performed by increasing cardiac activity via exercise or with a specific drug when exercise is not possible. The electrical activity of the heart is evaluated by an electrocardiogram as you exercise. A nuclear stress test is a related test that looks at how blood flows into the heart muscle during and after exercise and after injecting a radioactive tracer dye. A stress echocardiogram is a related test that involves having an ultrasound of the heart before and after exercise.