Cardiac Stress Testing:

Hours of Operation: As scheduled

Phone number: 937-386-3420

A Cardiac Stress Test may allow your physician to detect heart problems that may not be detected at rest. A continuous exercise EKG will be obtained while the patient either walks on a treadmill or is given medication to increase blood flow to the heart. The EKG will detect activity of the heart while under the “stress” of activity or medication. The patient will have electrodes (patches) placed on the chest to obtain EKGs prior to the test. The physician will read the EKGs obtained before, during and after the test. It is important to report any symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, leg fatigue, dizziness or general fatigue. The stress test may be helpful to diagnose coronary artery disease or blockages in the coronary arteries. There are 3 different types of stress test that can be completed—a Cardiolite Stress test, a Chemical Stress test, or a Regular stress test.

Cardiolite Stress Test (Myocardial Perfusion)

A Cardiolite Stress Test is a test that uses a radioactive tracer (cardiolite) to produce images of the heart muscle both before and after exercise. Resting images are obtained before exercise and images are obtained after exercise. This helps to determine if areas of the heart are receiving enough blood or if there are blockages (coronary artery disease). The time needed to complete a cardiolite stress test is approximately three hours. The patient should wear loose, comfortable clothing and comfortable walking shoes.

Adenosine or Persantine Cardiolite Stress

The Adenosine or Persantine Stress Test is a stress test for patients who cannot walk on a treadmill. Adenosine and Persantine are medications that are used to dilate the heart’s arteries and increase blood flow. A radioactive tracer (cardiolite) is used to obtained images of the heart before and after the medication is infused.

Cardiac Stress Test or Regular Stress Test

A stress test may allow your physician to detect heart problems that may not be detected at rest. A continuous exercise EKG will be obtained while the patient walks on a treadmill. The EKG will detect activity of the heart while exercising. The patient will have electrodes (patches) placed on the chest to obtain EKGs prior to exercising. Several EKGs will be taken before exercise. The patient is asked to walk on a treadmill starting slowly and increasing in speed and incline approximately every three minutes. The blood pressure will be checked frequently. The physician will read the EKGs obtained before, during and after the exercise. It is important to report any symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, leg fatigue, dizziness or general fatigue. The stress test may be helpful to diagnose coronary artery disease or blockages in the coronary arteries. It is important to wear loose and comfortable clothing. Soft soled shoes or sneakers should be worn. An hour to an hour and a half should be allowed for this test.