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A stress echocardiogram is identical to the procedures involved in
a normal echocardiogram. The difference is that the patient is
"stressed". Stressing can be done in various ways. Typically,
patients who are able to physically exert themselves are allowed
to walk on a treadmill to raise their heart rate and "stress" their
cardiovascular system. This test is vital to determining the
condition of the heart while it is highly active. Many heart
conditions are better revealed while the patient is working their
heart.
Other means of stressing a patient are via chemicals. Some patients
are physically unable to walk on a treadmill and are therefore
incapable of exercising their heart in this manner. In order that
the heart may still be stressed to determine the functioning of the
cardiovascular system, drugs are administered to the patient which
artificially increase the heart rate and/or the pumping action of the
heart. These drugs can be reversed if necessary and are constantly
monitored for the patient's safety.
To learn more about the basic echocardiogram which is the
fundamental procedure during a stress echo, click on the link below.
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