Lake Champlain Cardiology Associates
52 Tom Miller Rd., Plattsburgh, NY 12901 (518) 563-2404
www.lccahearts.com
Stress Echocardiogram
What is a stress echocardiogram?
A stress echocardiogram is a test that allows your doctor to see how your heart muscle is working both while you are at rest and when your heart is stressed.
The heart can be stressed with exercise as well as certain drugs that can increase the heart rate or change the way that the blood flows through the coronary arteries.
Images of the beating heart are made by bouncing high-frequency (ultrasound) sound waves off the heart. A computer uses the echoes of the sound waves
to create a moving picture of the heart. All of the heart structures, including the heart muscles and valves, can be examined.
When is it used?
Many people with heart problems have no symptoms when the are resting. Stressing the heart causes specific changes that can be seen on the echocardiogram. Stress echocardiograms help your doctor know if you require more specific
cardiac tests and treatment.
Another type of stress test- a standard exercise treadmill test (ETT)- uses only an electrocardiogram (ECG) to give information about the condition of the heart during stress and can sometimes give uncertain results.
A stress echocardiogram can be a more accurate way to diagnose blockage in the arteries because it is used in conjunction with an electrocardiogram.
How do I prepare?
Please don't eat anything for 3 hours before your stress echocardiogram. It is okay to drink liquids up until the time of the test. Ask your health care provider if you should
avoid taking any medications on the day of the test.
What happens during the procedure?
The test lasts 60 to 90 minutes. It is done here at our office at 52 Tom Miller Road. A certified ultrasound technician in the presence of a Board Certified cardiologist will take pictures of your heart while you walk on a treadmill- usually no IV is necessary.
Your heart and blood pressure will be monitored continuously by the cardiologist and technician and immediately after you get off the treadmill the technician will take more ultrasound images of your heart.It is important for you to walk for as long as you can on the treadmill.
Your doctor may ask you to walk on the treadmill for the echocardiogram or he may choose to use drugs to produce stress on your heart. The reasons for using drugs rather then exercise are:
What happens after the procedure?
After the procedure you can go home and resume your usual activities. Your cardiologist will review the pictures; watching each part of the heart muscle during the hearbeat. If there is a problem with blood supply to the heart,
differences in the strength of the contraction in various parts of the heart muscle will clearly show.
What are the benefits?
A stress echocardiogram can show heart disease or problems with the heart valves. Your cardiologist will use the results to help decide your treatment or the need for further testing.
What are the risks?
On rare occasions cardiac arrest may occur during the test. To ensure your safety a cardiologist will supervise the test. Your blood pressure and ECG will be carefully watched and the test team will look for and be ready to treat any emergency that may arise.
When will I get the results?
Results may be available from your cardiologist at the completion of the test; he may need additional time to review the results in which case you will be called within the following 2 days.
If you were referred to our office by another physician you can obtain your results from your doctor.