The treadmill stress test is just that, a stress test entirely done on the treadmill. Patients are hooked up to an EKG machine for evaluation under exercise conditions. EKG abnormalities relative to cardiac problems can present themselves under exercise or “stress” conditions.
The level of mechanical stress is progressively increased by adjusting the difficulty (steepness of the slope) and speed. Our cardiologists use this test to help diagnose ischemic heart disease and get a better idea of the general physical condition of the patient by examining the heart rate response, blood pressure response, presence EKG changes, and the patient’s symptoms during the treadmill test.
