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Treadmill stress test - stimulatingheart to search for heart problems and severity of complications.
by: Atanu Ghosh
Treadmill stress test is performed to search for abnormal heart beat, decrease supply of oxygen/blood to heart, indicate coronary artery disease, detect irregular heart rhythms and overall cardiovascular conditioning ofperson undergoingtreadmill stress test.

Treadmill stress test is useful to screen people who desire to startexercise program and help to make plans accordingly.

Duringtreadmill stress test, electrical activity during exercise or during physical exertion ontreadmill is recorded. Treadmill stress test mainly monitorsheart rate and heart rhythm whilepatient is walking ontreadmill. A treadmill stress test also is known asexercise electrocardiogram. Treadmill stress test is performed on doctor request/prescription. A treadmill stress test is very safe, reliable, non-invasive and not too expensive to do.

Intreadmill stress testpatient is connected toelectrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) machine andblood pressure cuff is placed onarm. Electrodes will be placed onpatient duringtreadmill stress test at different locations onarms and chest. A sensor may be attached tofinger ofpatient to measurelevel of oxygen inblood duringtreadmill stress test. EKG and blood pressure records will be taken before and duringtreadmill stress test. Initially duringtreadmill stress testpatient is made to walk ontreadmill atslow speed. The pace oftreadmill increases andincline is raised duringcourse oftreadmill stress test. The test lasts about onezero-onefive or sometimes sixzero minutes depending uponlevel of recovery and cardiovascular conditioning ofperson duringtreadmill stress test.

The speed and incline oftreadmill duringtreadmill stress test is increased gradually or in intervals .A Cardiologist andtechnician are present duringtreadmill stress test. Blood pressure rates and breathing rates are recorded and measured duringtest.

Duringtreadmill stress testelectrodes detectelectrical impulses generated byheart, and transmit them toECG/EKG machine. The ECG/EKG machine producesgraph (ECG tracing) of those cardiac electrical impulses. The doctor monitors changes in ECG/EKG patterns duringtreadmill stress test. Symptoms experienced bypatient duringtreadmill stress test will be looked at and recorded bydoctor. Ifpatient feels tired, has chest pains or is exhausted thentreadmill stress test is stopped.

Treadmill stress tests help to determine ifblood and oxygen flow toheart is sufficient when it is underincreased workload. Treadmill stress test also indicates coronary artery disease or abnormal heart rhythms during workload or exertion. Cardiac condition relating to irregular heart rhythms can be evaluated during treadmill stress test. Treadmill stress test helps doctor to detect how hardheart can work before symptoms develop,recovery pace ofheart after exertion, andoverall level of cardiovascular conditioning. Doctors can detectseverity of coronary artery disease duringtreadmill stress test. Whether or not drugs which are prescribed to treat patients are working can be also detected duringtreadmill stress test.

Duringtreadmill stress testpurpose of increasing to higher levels of exertion in stages is because problems occur asperson performs certain activities. Duringtreadmill stress test asperson starts increasinglevel of exertion,heart requires more blood and energy and ifheart doesn’t get it then there is chest pain, breathing problems or dizziness. If these symptoms appear duringtreadmill stress test, thenproblem is recognized and treatment is started.

Risk involved intreadmill stress test is very small. Treadmill stress test is similar to jogging, runningflight of stairs, etc. However, treadmill stress test is required to be performed in attendance of technician and medical staff to manage complications like sustained irregular heart beats, unrelieved chest pain, heart attack, etc.
Treadmill stress test iseffective way to detect and evaluate problems relating toheart and to follow and plan treatment depending uponseverity of symptoms detected duringtreadmill stress test.

Aboutauthor:
The author ofarticle is Atanu. He has well known authority and can visit at

http://www.treadmill-walking.com/treadmill-stress-test.html


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