Overview of Stress Testing
A stress test is technique that involves stressing the heart and monitoring the heart's reaction. A stress test helps evaluate the heart's capacity for work. The test can use exercise, medication, or both to induce stress, and can use electrocardiography, echocardiography, and/or nuclear imaging to monitor and assess the heart.
There are two ways to induce the necessary stress for a stress test. These can be used alone or together:
- Exercise: An exercise stress test examines your heart function under the stress of exercise. It requires you to walk on a treadmill (or ride a stationary bicycle) at gradually increasing workloads.
- Medication: If you can't exercise at a level that stresses your heart — for example, you have arthritis or some other problem that limits your activity — your healthcare provider can administer a medication that stimulates your heart.
Before, during, and after a stress test, your healthcare providers monitor your vital signs and your EKG. A stress test can also be combined with other testing — such as an echocardiogram or nuclear imaging — to provide even more information.
Stress Test in Depth
Learn more about stress tests from Intermountain's Patient Education Library:
Learn what happens (and what you need to do) before, during, and after a stress test:
How to Schedule and Where to Go
Cardiac stress tests are performed in two places at the Heart Institute:
- Hospital-based clinic and lab (building #4): Stress tests are performed in an exam room in our hospital-based clinic and lab. Come to Intermountain Medical Center – Building 4 (Heart & Lung Center). Follow the signs to Patient Registration on the first floor. After registering go down one floor to the patient waiting area and check in for your test. All tests need to be scheduled in advance by calling our main number: 801-507-4701
- Cardiology office (building #2): Some stress tests are done in our cardiology office and may be part of your doctor's appointment. The cardiology office is located in building #2, suite 520.
If you have questions please call us: 801-507-4701.