What is Stress Echocardiography?

• A Stress echocardiography, also called an echocardiography stress test or stress echo, is a procedure that determines how well your heart and blood vessels are working.
There is two different procedures :
- exercise stress echo
- dobutamine stress echo
• During exercise stress echocardiography:
• you’ll exercise on a treadmill or stationary bike while your doctor monitors your blood pressure and heart rhythm.
• When your heart rate reaches peak levels, your doctor will take ultrasound images of your heart to determine whether your heart muscles are getting enough blood and oxygen while you exercise.
• Dobutamine stress Echocardiogram:
• Is another form of stress echocardiogram.
• But instead of exercising to stress the heart, the stress is obtained by giving a drug that stimulates the heart and makes it "think" it is exercising.
• Your doctor may order a stress echocardiography test if you have chest pain that they think is due to coronary artery disease or a myocardial infarction, which is a heart attack.
• This test also determines how much exercise you can safely tolerate if you’re in cardiac rehabilitation.

Why do I need a Stress Echocardiography?

Possible reasons for getting astress echocardiogram may include:
• To assess the hearts function and structures
• To further assess the degree of known heart valve disease
• To determine limits for safe exercise before you start a cardiac rehabilitation program or are recovering from a cardiac event, such as a heart attack (myocardial infarction, or MI) or heart surgery
• To evaluate the cardiac status before heart surgery

How to Prepare for Stress Echocardiogram?

Before you take the test, you should do the following:
• Make sure not to eat or drink anything for three to four hours before the test.
• Don’t smoke on the day of the test because nicotine can interfere with your heart rate.
• Don’t drink coffee or take any medications that contain caffeine without checking with your doctor.
• If you take medications, ask your doctor whether you should take them on the day of the test. You shouldn’t take certain heart medications, such as beta-blockers, isosorbide-dinitrate, isosorbide-mononitrate (IsordilTitradose), and nitroglycerin, before the test. Let your doctor know if you take medication to control diabetes as well.
• Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes. Because you will exercise, make sure to wear good walking or running shoes.