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Stress Echo-Cardiography
Overview
What is Stress Echo-Cardiography?
Stress Echo-Cardiography is used to check how well your heart and blood vessels are working under stress. In this, your heart may be put under stress with medicine or exercise. The images from the ultrasound shows your heart structure and how well your heart muscles are pumping blood.
This test is done to assess the blood flow pattern to the heart muscles during exercise. It also helps diagnose the cause of chest pain. It may also be advised as a follow up treatment after bypass surgery and angioplasty.
The abnormal test results mean that the heart isn’t pumping blood effectively, this could be due to any blockage in your blood vessels. Other reasons may include a previous heart attack, causing damage to the heart muscles. Diagnosing heart disease and assessing your risk for heart attacks early can help prevent future complications.
Why is Stress Echo-Cardiography done?
- To assess blood flow patterns to the heart muscles during exercise
- To detect structural anomalies of blood vessels developing under stress
- To understand and diagnose cause of chest pain
- To determine efficiency of heart under stress, especially after a previous heart attack
- To determine the efficacy of medications or other treatment procedures for heart conditions
- To determine how much exercise you can safely tolerate if you’re in cardiac rehabilitation
- To follow up after treatments such as bypass grafting, angioplasty, and anti-anginal or antiarrhythmic medications
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