Stress Test
A stress test, or exercise stress test, is a study used to diagnose coronary artery disease (CAD).
This test is performed in a specially equipped room with a treadmill or stationary bicycle. It involves the patient undergoing progressively increasing levels of physical exercise, starting from rest and progressing to maximum physical endurance. The evaluation continues until complete post-exercise recovery.
For the stress test, electrodes are attached to the chest and connected to wires that transmit the heart's electrical activity signals to a device called an electrocardiograph (ECG). The ECG transforms these signals into a continuous graphic recording that provides information about the patient's heart activity during the procedure. This study allows us to detect coronary artery disease in patients whose resting ECG may be normal. It also allows us to evaluate the response of blood pressure (pressor response) and heart rate (chronotropic response) to physical exercise. It is also useful for clarifying the cause of some symptoms reported by the patient that occur in relation to physical activity.
This procedure can take approximately 40 minutes and requires prior preparation by the patient according to specifications provided by the doctor, taking into account the characteristics of the examination and the patient's medical history.