What to Expect During a Stress Test

January 30, 2025

Monitoring your heart while you’re seated in our exam room provides only a partial picture of your cardiovascular health. If you experience symptoms during physical activity, we need to assess your heart function under those conditions.

To gather this valuable information, fellowship-trained cardiologist Dr. James Kim and our team offer comprehensive stress testing. If you’ve never had a stress test, here’s an overview of this safe procedure that gives us crucial data to address your heart health.

Who Should Consider a Stress Test?

Before diving into the details of the stress test, let’s briefly review why we use this diagnostic tool. Our aim is to evaluate your heart’s function under stress to identify various issues, including:

  • Abnormal electrical activity
  • Atherosclerosis (narrowed arteries)
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Arrhythmia
  • Atrial fibrillation

Additionally, we use this test to determine if your cardiovascular system is responding well to a specific treatment.

Step-by-Step Guide to a Stress Test

To prepare for a stress test, wear comfortable clothes and bring sneakers, as you will be doing some exercise. We may also ask you to refrain from eating or drinking caffeine beforehand and to stop taking certain medications if instructed, to ensure accurate results.

When you arrive, we will place electrodes on your chest and abdomen connected to an electrocardiogram (EKG) system to record your heart’s electrical activity. A blood pressure cuff will also be placed around your arm to monitor this vital statistic.

Once set up and you are on the treadmill or stationary bike, we will record your heart’s electrical activity and blood pressure at rest to establish a baseline. Then, you will start walking on the treadmill or pedaling the bike at a slow pace.

Every three minutes, we will gradually increase the intensity, continuously gathering information about your cardiovascular system. Our goal is to reach your peak heart rate, typically about 80% of your maximum predicted heart rate (approximately 220 minus your age). We can stop the test at any time if you experience discomfort or are unable to continue.

After the test, we will remove the electrodes and blood pressure cuff, and you can return home.

While this describes a standard stress test, we may customize it to suit your needs. For example, if you have mobility issues, we can simulate exercise using medications.

If you have any questions about what to expect during your stress test, please contact one of our offices in Chula Vista or National City, California.

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Cardiac Care, Stress Test

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