treadmill stress test question

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Debster

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 8, 2005
Messages
574
Location
Louisburg, Kansas
Hi All! My mom had checkup with cardio today-says he is happy with how she is doing. Woohoo! He also wants her to have a treadmill stress test. She had a nuclear one a couple years ago and about killed her-the adenosine in it was a disaster!!!!!! Will this be better, do you all think? Any input greatly appreciated. I think he just wants this done because it has not happened since surgery, 3 years ago. Thanks so much!! Deb
 
I had a stress test just yesterday. They told me I should walk six minutes. For me it was not bad at all. They put the medication in while I was walking. It did sting pretty good but other than that was easy for me. They monitored me alot and asked if I was ok.
Bobbie
 
Hey Bobbie! Do you know what the meds were that they used? I am very nervous about her having any dyes, meds for this test. Her nuclear test was very, very, bad. They know not to use the adenosine, but I am anxious anyway. Thanks!!!! Deb
 
Sorry, but I really do not know what it was. I was so nervous about all my tests I did not think to ask.I do know that the test I had was called a Myoview treadmill stress test so may be alot different. I am sure someone else out there will know
Bobbie
 
There haven't been any meds in the two treadmill stress tests I've had. You only need to walk or jog until you get your HR up to a certain level (I think it is about 80% of max - it was 170 for me one year ago), and then you are told to quickly go lie down on a table and they perform a normal echo.
 
treadmill stress tests can be useful, and it's probably better to have a heart attack or ECG changes in a hospital than at home. They're not as sensitive as the nuclear stress tests, even though I found the nuclear adenosine very uncomfortable and I'll have to be really desperate for answers to ever go through that again.
 
From what I understand, a nuclear stress test is significantly different than a treadmill stress test. For both, they are trying to elevate your heart rate to see how your heart reacts under "stress". With the treadmill they try to elevate it naturally with exercise, but the with the nuclear test they use drugs to get the same effect. I don't know how they determine which one to use.
 
The nuclear stress test can also involve the treadmill ? a chemically induced stress test or ?non-gated? is just what it sounds like and is a lot of times used when people can not handle the treadmill for various reasons ?. I have had the non-gated and the gated nuclear ?. Can?t say I enjoy either one:rolleyes:
 
Thanks so much for everyone's help...in your opinion, is this test really neccessary? I say that because her cardio seemed to mention it kinda casually-said she did not need another echo until next year and was happy with her progress. I guess I am just nervous because of how bad her non treadmill stress test was:confused: Thanks! Deb
 
MikeHeim said:
From what I understand, a nuclear stress test is significantly different than a treadmill stress test. For both, they are trying to elevate your heart rate to see how your heart reacts under "stress". With the treadmill they try to elevate it naturally with exercise, but the with the nuclear test they use drugs to get the same effect. I don't know how they determine which one to use.
Click to expand...

I have had two nuclear stress tests.
Each had a resting phase and an exercise phase.
During the exercise phase, I walked the treadmill as long as I could keeping in mind I had to give one minute notice of when I could walk no more. As soon as I said I was getting tired to the point of needing to stop, they injected the dye. After waiting (maybe an hour?), they then had me lay very still while an xray machine moved left to right over my upper body to get images. That took about 35 or so minutes I think.

The second phase was resting only. Dye was injected and again, lay still while the machine got imagines.

I imagine they wanted the comparison of how the dye went through the vessels/heart when exercising vs at rest.
 
Debster said:
Thanks so much for everyone's help...in your opinion, is this test really neccessary? I say that because her cardio seemed to mention it kinda casually....
Click to expand...

Here's how to tell. Don't schedule the test. If the test is important to the cardio, he'll notice and complain, and he'll tell you exactly why it's important without you having to the info out of him.
 
I passed the nuclear test, but failed the stress test. On the stress test I had ECG changes which caused me to have a cath. They found that my grafts had filled up a lot. I ask about passing the nuclear test and was told that some people do pass the tests and still have a problem. He said that medicine is not able to detect everything - science has not gone that far yet.
 
Just this weekend, we learned of a friend who complained of chest pain. His doctor ordered stress test and he passed fine. He still didn't feel right and his cardio decided to do a cath. Perhaps it is his long experience and instinct but whatever it was, he probably saved his life. They found two blockages that were severe enough to require stenting.

A good doctor is PRICELESS. (This is the same interventional Cardio who did my cath and I have raved about him here on several occassions.)

But, my point is the stress tests are not perfect.
 
Excuse me for my ignorance, but what is the proper name for this nuclear test? What's the procedure, and are there side effects? Or is it pretty much as Jkm7 described - what if you can't do the treadmill?

My apologies if I have hijacked this thread.
 
Freddie said:
Excuse me for my ignorance, but what is the proper name for this nuclear test? What's the procedure, and are there side effects? Or is it pretty much as Jkm7 described - what if you can't do the treadmill?

My apologies if I have hijacked this thread.
Click to expand...

Freddie,

It is also called a Thallium Stress Test. Thallium is the substance they inject. The "normal procedure" is either a treadmill (or stationary bike) is used to get your heart up to a maximum level of exercise, then Thallium is injected into your vein. A "gamma camera" is used to take "pictures" of your heart. A "normal picture" should look like a donut around your heart. Changes in color and/or breaks in the "donut" usually indicate an area where the heart muscle received a lesser amount of Thallium, indicating a lower blood supply flow in that area. It is usually followed by a Cath to take a closer look.

If you can't treadmill, then there are drugs that are used to "speed up" the heart to stimulate exercise. Some Cardios forgo this test in favor of going directly to a Cath.

I've had at least four (or more) since my blockages were found. As always, each and every one of us are different. Some have no problems with the test, others have moderate to even life threatening reactions. A good Cardio will usually DO NO HARM, HOWEVER----you (and sometimes even they) never know for sure.

As a non-medical, layperson description, with a little help from GOOGLE, I hope that helped.

May God Bless,

Danny :)
 
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