A stress test usually takes about an hour, including the prep time and the time it takes to do the actual test. The exercise part takes only around 15 minutes. It usually involves walking on a treadmill or pedaling a stationary bicycle. If you can't exercise, you'll receive medicine through an
IV. The medicine creates the effect of exercise on the heart.
Before a stress test
Your health care provider usually asks questions about your medical history and how often and how hard you exercise. This helps the provider decide how much you can exercise during the test. Your provider usually listens to your heart and lungs to check for any issues that might affect your test results.
During a stress test
A health care provider puts sticky patches called electrodes on your chest and sometimes the arms and legs. Body hair may be shaved to help the patches stick. The patches record the heart's rhythm. Wires connect the patches to a computer, which shows or prints the test results. This part of a test is called an electrocardiogram, commonly called an ECG.
A cuff on your arm checks your blood pressure during the test. You may be asked to breathe into a tube during the test to show how well you're able to breathe during exercise.
Exercise may be on a treadmill or stationary bike. The pace is easy at first. As the test continues, the exercise gets harder. You can use the railing on the treadmill for balance. Don't hang on tightly, as this may affect the results.
Exercise continues until your heart rate reaches a target level. You might need to stop sooner if you develop symptoms such as:
- Moderate to severe chest pain.
- Severe shortness of breath.
- Unusually high or low blood pressure.
- An irregular heart rhythm.
- Dizziness.
- Fatigue.
If you can't exercise during the stress test, a health care provider gives you medicine by
IV. The medicine increases blood flow to the heart. You might feel flushed or short of breath, just as you would if you were exercising. You might get a headache.
You can stop the test anytime you're too uncomfortable. Your care provider might stop the test if there are concerns about the way your heart is acting during the test.
After a stress test
After exercising, you may be asked to stand still for several seconds and then lie down for a while. Your care provider watches for problems as your heart rate and breathing recover from the exercise.
When the test is done, you may return to your usual activities unless your provider tells you otherwise.