Your target heart rate during a stress test depends on your age. For adults, the maximum predicted heart rate is 220 minus your age. So, if you're 40 years old, the maximum predicted heart rate is 220 – 40 = 180.
Some people also have a headache, nausea, and a feeling that their heart is racing. If you are given medicine to make your heart beat stronger and faster (dobutamine), you may have a headache, nausea, or your heart may pound faster and more strongly. Rarely, during the test people experience: Chest discomfort.
Normal systolic and diastolic responses to exercise stress testing should not exceed 220 and 100 mm Hg, respectively. Systolic blood pressure of >230 mm Hg is generally considered hazardous.
It is normal to feel short of breath, pressure in head chest or belly. The side effects go away within a couple of minutes. We can also give you a reversal medication, if needed, to take away the side effects. You will receive a second injection of the tracer so we can see the stress blood flow to your heart muscle.
Risks of Stress Test
If they do occur, possible complications include: A rare allergic reaction to the radioactive dye used in a nuclear stress test. Dizziness or lightheadedness. Heart attack (very rare)
The test ends after maintaining your target heart rate long enough to capture readings about heart function, usually about 10 to 15 minutes. Your target heart rate is higher than when at rest and based on your age and fitness level. Technicians may end the test early if you experience severe symptoms or ask to stop.
Yes, you can be around pregnant women and children after most nuclear medicine scans. Almost all of the radiation will be gone from your body by the morning after your scan. We recommend you avoid spending extended hours in close proximity with pregnant women and small children, such as sleeping overnight next to them.
The study found that if you have a high blood pressure during a stress test, it could actually indicate you are more fit, and that the problem with current guidelines for interpreting these blood pressure levels is that workload or "exercise intensity" is not being taken into account, said Hedman who now works as a ...
“Generally a test should last 8 to 12 minutes, unless it is prematurely stopped due to fatigue or abnormal signs/symptoms. Patients who remain on the treadmill for 7 minutes or longer are in good to excellent physical condition.”
“Most people think a stress test identifies blockages to the heart, but it does not,” explains Aristotelis Vlahos, M.D., director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Riverview Medical Center. “It looks at blood flow to the heart muscle and determines if blood flow is adequate or not.
You can estimate your maximum heart rate based on your age. To estimate your maximum age-related heart rate, subtract your age from 220. For example, for a 50-year-old person, the estimated maximum age-related heart rate would be calculated as 220 – 50 years = 170 beats per minute (bpm).
The angiogram and cardiac catheterization are the most definitive tests, better than a nuclear stress test, but both use significant radiation, and the cardiac catheterization uses a large catheter in the artery, which can cause complications.
The FAA does accept a minimum of 85% of maximum predicted rate, but stay on the treadmill as long as possible, up to nine minutes to demonstrate maximum effort. "The FAA allows for applicants over age 70 to exercise for at least six minutes, but must still attain 85% of predicted maximum heart rate."
Stress testing detects arteries that are severely narrowed (70% or more). This is what causes symptoms. Heart attacks often result from lesser blockages that rupture and form clots.
Stress tests are usually safe. You will be closely watched during the test. If a problem develops, you'll be treated quickly. Medicines that make your heart work harder sometimes cause symptoms such as chest pain, dizziness, or nausea.
People usually can go back to normal activities immediately. You may want to drink plenty of fluids to help flush the tracer out of your body. After the test, you may feel tired or dizzy or have a headache. Those symptoms should go away with time and rest.
The radioactive liquid will be in your body for 24 to 36 hours after your test. You will need to do the following: Drink plenty of liquids as directed. This will help flush the radioactive liquid out of your body.
The nuclear stress test is a two day test done in two parts: a “rest” part and a “stress” part.
Minor symptoms of heart blockage include irregular or skipped heartbeats, shortness of breath and chest tightness. Other symptoms may include pain or numbness in the legs or arms, as well as neck or throat pain.
A chemical stress test for elderly people is important as it can help diagnose problems like heart disease, coronary artery disease, heart valve disease, and arrhythmias.
A stress test usually involves walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike. A health care provider watches your heart rhythm, blood pressure and breathing during the test. People who can't exercise may be given a medicine that creates the effects of exercise.