The stress echo is especially useful in diagnosing coronary heart disease and the presence of blockages in the coronary arteries (the vessels that supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle).
What does stress echo test results mean?
Your doctor will explain your test results to you. If the results are normal, your heart is working properly and your blood vessels are probably not blocked due to coronary artery disease . Abnormal test results may mean that your heart isn’t pumping blood effectively because there’s a blockage in your blood vessels.
What does a positive stress echo mean?
Positive or abnormal: Doctors may conclude the stress test is positive for cardiac ischemia —meaning the heart muscle wasn’t getting adequate oxygenated blood during the stress. There are certain ECG and imaging changes that would support this conclusion.
How reliable is a stress echo?
The accuracy of stress echocardiography for detection of significant coronary stenoses ranges from 80–90% , exceeding that of the exercise ECG (especially in women and patients with left ventricular hypertrophy), and being comparable to that of stress myocardial perfusion scintigraphy.
What does an abnormal stress echo mean?
Your stress test can also come back with an abnormal result. This result can indicate that you have coronary artery blockage of 70% or greater , which is significant. Your doctor will likely order additional testing at this point, like an imaging stress test, which gives a more accurate picture of heart health.
Can echo detect heart blockage?
Your doctor might recommend a stress echocardiogram to check for coronary artery problems. However, an echocardiogram can’t provide information about any blockages in the heart’s arteries .
Can you pass a stress test and still have blockage?
Stress tests can detect when arteries have 70% or more blockage . This severe narrowing is what causes the severe chest pain called angina. But normal results from a stress test do not rule out the possibility of a future heart attack. This is because a plaque can still rupture, form clots and block an artery.
What happens if you have an abnormal stress test?
An abnormal result in both phases of your stress test is an indication that your heart’s blood flow is poor, regardless of your exertion level. The restricted blood flow suggests significant coronary artery disease.
What happens if my echocardiogram is abnormal?
Symptoms include bulging neck veins, swelling in the arms, nausea, and fainting . Abnormal echocardiogram results help doctors determine if further testing is necessary or if you need to be placed on a treatment plan. When it comes to your heart, there is no room for taking risks.
What is the difference between stress test and stress echo?
A stress echo is a more dynamic test that examines the heart in action. It combines an ultrasound of the heart with a stress test. A stress test, often called a treadmill test, measures how your heart works when experiencing added workload or “stress” of exercise.
Is a nuclear stress test better than an echo stress test?
Although stress echocardiography may have comparable ability to detect coronary artery disease, current data suggest that stress echocardiography detects significantly less jeopardized viable myocardium than stress nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging and consequently fewer patients at risk for cardiac events.
Should I have a stress test at 80?
2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, Cardiology. Symptom-free older adults are not typically candidates for a cardiac stress test, while older adults with risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smokers should discuss recommended follow up with their doctor .
What is the difference between ECHO and stress echo?
The sound waves bounce (or “echo”) off structures in your heart, and the echoes are shown as images on a monitor. A stress echo compares the activity of your heart when it is at rest to when it is working hard .
What are the warning signs of clogged arteries?
- Chest pain (angina). You may feel pressure or tightness in your chest, as if someone were standing on your chest. ...
- Shortness of breath. If your heart can’t pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs, you may develop shortness of breath or extreme fatigue with activity.
- Heart attack.
What is an abnormal exercise stress test?
Abnormal results may be due to: Abnormal heart rhythms during exercise. Changes in your ECG that may mean there is a blockage in the arteries that supply your heart ( coronary artery disease )
What does a stress test show that an echo doesn t?
The nuclear stress test also provides information about overall heart function, however doesn’t provide information about the heart valves or lining around the heart (pericardium) the way an echo does. An echo or nuclear stress test may not reveal certain conditions, such as microvascular angina .
