A cardiac stress test is an exercise electrocardiogram. The changes in electrical potentials is measured by sensors on the patient’s skin and recorded as a graph. In contrast to the resting state ECG, the patient performs a strenuous activity; at our doctor’s practice, the patient pedals a cycle ergometer. This determines how the heart reacts to (increasing) physical exertion. Many illnesses and symptoms can hardly be observed in a resting state and do not occur until the patient is under stress.
Data gathered during the cardiac stress test can provide information on:
- Blood pressure under stress
- Stress-dependent arrhythmias
- Coronary heart disease (coronary artery disease)
- Physical fitness of the patient
- Fitness level of athletes