Stress Testing
There are four[4] main types of stress tests – plain exercise, exercise nuclear stress testing, medication [pharmacologic] nuclear stress testing, and exercise stress echocardiogram. All are used in our office, depending on the patient’s needs and diagnosis.
Exercise Stress Test
An exercise stress test is a fairly quick procedure whereby the patient walks on a treadmill at different speeds and inclines while the doctor monitors your heart rate, heart rhythm, blood pressure, and your symptoms. There is no dye nor radiation. This test can often be done the same day as your visit.
Nuclear Stress Test
A nuclear stress testis a vital part of diagnosing, treating and managing heart disease and heart disorders. At Garden State Heart Care in New Jersey, we specialize in offering the proper test depending on our patient’s needs and risk factors. A nuclear stress test allows the heart doctor to indirectly look for blockages in the arteries to the heart.
A nuclear stress test is a three-part procedure. A small peripheral IV is placed and a radio-isotope injected thru the IV. Pictures are then taken of the heart muscle with a special nuclear camera. The heart is then “stressed” with either exercise [on a treadmill] or with a special medication. A radioisotope is then re-injected and pictures are again taken to compare the stress images to the ones taken prior at rest. The radio-isotope is not a dye and patient’s with shellfish or iodine allergies can safely have nuclear stress tests.
For those with heart conditions, the nuclear stress test is a fundamental component in maintaining and improving heart health.
Stress Echocardiography
A stress echocardiogram [“stress echo”] is an alternate test to a nuclear stress test, although both tests evaluate indirectly for blockages in the heart’s arteries. The ultrasound machine is used to take pictures of the heart at rest. The patient then walks on the treadmill and immediately after exercise, ultrasound images are again taken. The images immediately after stress are then compared to the images before the exercise to indirectly look for artery blockages.
Please rest assured that you will have results of your test immediately upon their completion, prior to leaving our office, so that you have peace-of-mind, and know what steps, if needed, will be taken to ensure your safety and health.
To learn more about Garden State Heart Care and to set up an appointment for a stress test – complete with exercise stress test, call us at (732) 851-4700 or visit one of our three offices:
Headquarters: 831 Tennent Road, Manalapan NJ 07751
Tel: (732) 851 4700
Fax: (732) 851 4703
Jamesburg Office:
333 Forsgate Drive, Suite 205
Jamesburg, NJ 08831
Tel: (732) 851 4700
Fax: (732) 851 4703
Jackson Office: 201 North County Line Road; Jackson NJ 08527
Tel: (732) 994 5544 Fax: (732) 994 5540
Old Bridge Office: 2 hospital Plaza suite 450; Old Bridge NJ 08857
