Exercise Stress Test

What is an exercise stress test?

An exercise stress test helps your health care professional learn how well your heart handles work. As your body works harder during the test, it requires more oxygen. So, the heart must pump more blood. The test can show if the blood flow is reduced in the arteries that supply the heart. It also helps your health care team know the type and level of exercise that’s right for you.

When taking the test, you:

• Are hooked up to equipment to monitor your heart.
• Walk in place on a treadmill or ride a stationary bicycle. Then the speed of the treadmill or the resistance on the bike is increased slowly to require more effort. The treadmill may also tilt to produce the effect of going up a small hill.
• May be asked to breathe into a tube for a couple of minutes.
• Can stop the test at any time if needed.
• Will sit or lie down after to have your heart rate and blood pressure checked.

During the test, the following will be monitored:

• Heart rate and rhythm
• Breathing
• Blood pressure
• Electrocardiogram (EKG)
• How tired you feel

Stress tests are usually safe and very closely monitored. Health care professionals are present in case something unusual happens during the test. They will promptly treat any issues that arise.

An exercise stress test may be recommended to:

• Diagnose coronary artery disease.
• Diagnose a possible heart-related cause of symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath or lightheadedness.
• Determine a safe level of exercise.
• Check the effectiveness of procedures and medical interventions done to improve coronary artery blood flow.
• Predict the risk of dangerous heart-related conditions such as a heart attack.

Depending on the exercise stress test results, your health care professional may suggest more tests, such as a nuclear stress test or cardiac catheterization.

View a printable sheet: What Is a Stress Test (PDF)?