The Significance of Stress Tests in Assessing Heart Function

October 17, 2024

To truly assess performance, rigorous testing is essential. This is what stress testing does for your heart, the most vital organ in your body.

At James Kim Cardiology, Dr. Kim offers comprehensive cardiovascular screenings to help prevent heart disease. With nearly half of all adults in the U.S. affected by cardiovascular disease, stress tests are crucial.

Let’s explore how stress testing gives us valuable insights into your heart’s health.

Understanding Stress Testing

Evaluating your cardiovascular system while you’re sitting or lying down gives us some information. However, assessing your heart’s function during exercise is much more revealing.

During a typical stress test, we attach electrodes to your chest, arms, and legs to measure your heart’s electrical activity (electrocardiogram). We also use a blood pressure cuff to monitor the force your blood places on your blood vessel walls.

In some cases, we use an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound waves to provide images of your heart in action.

You’ll use a treadmill or stationary bike, starting slowly and gradually increasing your effort until you reach your peak heart rate. As you exercise, we gather information about your cardiovascular system’s performance at different intensity levels and measure how well you recover.

The test is completely noninvasive, and the only side effect might be some fatigue after your workout.

What Stress Testing Can Reveal

Cardiovascular disease can be dangerous because many common conditions are asymptomatic. For instance, hypertension is often called the “silent killer” as it can slowly damage your cardiovascular health without noticeable signs. 

While we can easily measure your blood pressure during a regular exam, evaluating it during a stress test provides us with more valuable insights into your vascular health.

Another example is coronary artery disease, the most common form of heart disease, affecting over 18 million adults in the United States. Some people with coronary artery disease may experience symptoms like chest pain, fatigue, and shortness of breath, while others may show no symptoms even with significant artery blockage.

Stress testing can uncover hidden issues such as coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, and the potential for a heart attack.

If you have questions about stress testing or think you might benefit from it, contact one of our locations in National City or Chula Vista, California, to schedule a consultation.

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Cardiac Care, Cardiovascular Wellness, Stress Test

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