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.
During a 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.
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. The test can also tell your doctor how well treatments such as bypass grafting, angioplasty, and anti-anginal or antiarrhythmic medications are working.
What does this mean? Stay tuned!
I'm 59 y/o M, avid runner until 3XCAB in August '17. Discovered 90% LAD, LM and 70% R circumflex. Only symptom was having chest pain when running. 10 wks into recovery, in cardiac rehab, the best I can do is 1 mile at 10:30. Endurance is shot... Have to take frequent walk breaks. Prior to symptom/surgery, last two years my per mile pace was 8:30/mile, longest run was 7 miles. What gives? Thought I got new plumbing. I keep pushing, running 5 days a week, just trying to stay out a little bit longer each time. Dale S.
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