Everyone deals with some form of stress, whether physical, emotional, or mental. Several factors, including work, school, lifestyle habits, financial problems, and family or personal conflicts, can contribute to the pressure.
Chronic stress also threatens your cardiovascular health, leading to possible circulatory and heart-related conditions. A physical examination can help determine your risk of cardiovascular illnesses, and a treadmill stress test can help us form a proper diagnosis.
From our practice in Beverly Hills, California, Dr. Shawn Veiseh and our experienced medical staff can help you maintain strong cardiovascular health with treadmill tests and other screenings.
To learn more about the benefits of a treadmill stress test, let’s explore the procedure, why to have one done, and how to be ready when it happens.
Also known as an exercise stress test, this examination uses a treadmill or stationary bike to assess how your body works under stress.
This test causes your heart to pump blood at a faster, harder pace so we can measure your heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and coronary electrical activity and compare how hard your heart works with other people of your sex and age.
The treadmill version of stress testing is the most common. Other forms include the exercise stress echocardiogram, the nuclear stress test, and the cardiac rehabilitation stress test.
This assessment is frequently recommended when we see evidence of heart problems or when you show signs like dizziness, chest pain, breathing problems, or an irregular heartbeat.
These symptoms can indicate issues like angina, arrhythmia, or dyspnea, and with testing, we can identify conditions like congenital or congestive heart failure, heart valve disease, coronary artery disease, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
You may also need this test if you’re undergoing heart treatments, preparing for surgery (including heart surgery), or beginning a strenuous exercise regimen.
Before the test happens, you need to do these things to prepare yourself:
Beta-blockers and asthma inhalers can adversely affect results, so you should stop using them a day before your test. Under some circumstances, an inhaler may be permitted with approval.
Don’t ingest caffeinated products, such as coffee, tea, some over-the-counter drugs, and energy drinks, before testing. Smoking or using any tobacco products decreases oxygen levels and hurts your test results, so avoid them also.
Dress as comfortably as possible for your treadmill stress test. For best results, wear light clothes and properly fitting athletic shoes.
Nervousness and anxiety before heart testing make sense, but we need you to stay as relaxed and calm as possible since both issues can affect your test results.
Good heart health saves lives, and a treadmill stress test can help keep you with us for as long as possible by diagnosing illnesses for proper treatment. Book an appointment with Dr. Veiseh and our team today by calling our office or scheduling a visit online.
