Chemical Stress Test vs. Treadmill Test: Which is Right for You?

When diagnosing certain symptoms, doctors prefer to employ a treadmill test, which gradually places the heart under a load for study. But sometimes, a patient's debilitated physical condition rules out a treadmill. In that case, a chemically induced stress test might be ordered.

Treadmill

• Treadmill stress tests are preferred because of the intrinsic physiologic effect created during physical activity. It allows the doctor a window through which to observe the effect of exertion on symptoms.

Procedure

• During a treadmill stress test, a patient is hooked up to various monitors and asked to begin walking. Speed is increased for a predetermined length of time, and then heart and blood pressure readings are taken.

Chemical Stress

• A chemical stress test might be ordered if a patient's physical limitations, such as bad back, arthritis, prior stroke, dizziness, or unsteadiness, make use of a treadmill risky.

Chemical Procedure

• A chemical stress test attempts to duplicate the load a heart experiences from actual exercise, by intravenously injecting a medicine that increases heart rate. At a predetermined time, heart rate and blood pressure are measured.

The Facts

• Stress tests are used to diagnose symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, and coronary artery disease.