Stress Tests:

Stress testing  can be performed for a variety of reasons, including:

• To detect signs of coronary heart disease.
• To assess symptoms, such as chest pain, shortness of breath or palpitations.
• To assess if a treatment is working or decide on a treatment.
• To assess abnormal heart rhythms.
• Check the heart before surgery.

An exercise stress test, also known as a treadmill test or stress electrocardiogram (ECG), measures how well your heart works during physical activity. It can help determine if you have coronary artery disease (CAD). During the test, a  technician attaches electrodes to your chest and arms, sometimes legs. You exercise on a treadmill while a healthcare professional monitors your heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. The test gradually increases in intensity, such as walking faster or increasing the incline. The test ends when you reach your target heart rate, experience chest pain, or show other concerning signs. 

You may need to hold certain medications on the day of the test.You should not eat or drink anything except water for four hours before the test. You should not consume caffeine for 24 hours before the test. You should not smoke on the day of the test. 

Stateline Health is accredited in Nuclear Medicine-SPECT Cardiac Imaging by the RadSite Accreditation Program. A nuclear stress test is an imaging test that shows how blood goes to the heart at rest and during exercise. This test will identify blockages that are severe enough to cause a decrease in blood flow in the coronary arteries. Images of the heart are taken at rest and with “stress.” We usually stress the heart with exercise on a treadmill as in a routine treadmill stress test or with a medication that is injected to dilate the coronary arteries. A small amount of radioactive isotope tracer (either thallium or technetium) is injected into a vein in the hand or arm at rest and after exercise or stress. This tracer “lights up” the heart muscle if there is adequate flow, but is dark if the flow is diminished by a blockage. Images of the heart are taken with a gamma camera at rest and after stress, each image taking about 15 – 20 minutes. This helps find areas of poor blood flow or damage in the heart. The test usually lasts about 4 hours due to the 15-30 minutes for each set of images, stress time and mandatory wait times between imaging. 

Several cardiac medications that affect the heart rate and blood pressure may need to be held temporarily before the test. 

Theophylline medications should be stopped 48 hours prior to the test. Consult your physician for specific instructions.

All caffeine products need to be avoided for 24 hours. These include: 

• coffee including decaffeinated and caffeine-free, regular and decaf tea, energy/soft drinks, chocolate, cocoa, strawberries, etc.
• Medications with caffeine (Excedrin®, Anacin®, Nodoz®, diet pills).