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Heart Stress Test



 Submitted by Nic on August 13, 2011
The circulation of blood is one of the most basic functions of the human body. The heart pumps blood around the body using its four chambers to perform this function. The health of the heart can be judged using various scans. However, in many cases, the defects of the heart are only obvious when the heart is beating quickly. This is because the heart will be strained and it is only under strain that some issues crop up. In such a situation, one needs to undergo a heart stress test. A heart stress test is one where the heart is made to beat faster through exercise or through the injection of a chemical stimulant.

A heart stress test procedure usually involves a treadmill which is used to exercise the individual. There will be emergency medical equipment present in case the individual suffers from a cardiac event or breathlessness during the exercise. The doctor will gradually ramp up the speed and intensity of the treadmill while monitoring the vital signs of the individual’s heart. Scans of blood circulation will be taken before, during and after the heart stress test procedure.

A chemical heart stress test is one where the patient will not be made to exercise. This type of test is conducted when the patient may not be able to walk or run as fast as required. A chemical is used to stimulate the heart and make it beat as if it were under stress from exercise. At this time, the heart will be scanned to check for any abnormalities. With modern medical centers, all the tests are recorded so that they can be replayed for the doctors to examine the footage further for any abnormality which would influence the heart stress test results.

There are some heart stress test risks that must be understood before enrolling for such a test. The patient may suffer from a cardiac event if the heart is weak because of the abnormality. There are rare cases when a stroke or heart attack could affect the patient. While these are fairly serious risks, it should be understood that a heart that is weak enough to fail under stress is one that needs to be treated immediately. The risk of these events is also contained somewhat by the presence of emergency medical equipment on site. These will be used to deal with any sudden crisis. It is necessary that you speak to the doctor of matters like heart stress test cost before you begin with the procedure.
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