The Benefits Of A Cardiac Stress Test
As the number of heart attacks in the United States per year has continued to increase
, the number of people who are concerned that they may be at risk for cardiac failure or problems is surprisingly low. The majority of people who faced cardiac problems were not even aware that they were at risk until it was too late.
One indication that you may be at risk for heart disease is if it runs in your family history. If you are aware of heart problems within your family, you may want to consider getting a cardiac stress test.
A cardiac stress test is performed by a doctor and it tests how much blood is able to reach your heart when you are exercising or physically active. This amount of blood flow, which is also known as arterial blood flow, affects how much oxygen is taken to the heart muscle called the myocardium.
This flow is measured and then compared to the amount of flow that occurs while resting. This cardiac stress test doubles as a test to see how fit a patient is.
There is no need to worry that your anxiety over the results will affect the test. Emotional stress will not affect how well your body is able to perform.
This test specifically looks for irregularities in the blood flow that suggest there is an imbalance. A "positive" irregularity result from the test means that the left ventricle is not getting enough or is trying to pass too much blood.
It is quite common for false positives to be achieved on this test. However, after the test is taken a second or third time with positive results, it means that positive is most likely correct.
The other loop hole in this test is that this test only tests the left ventricle and not the other three chambers of the heart. You could still face heart problems even if the test comes back negative.
If this is the case, the doctor will probably perform other tests to find the cause of the problem. Another major flaw in the cardiac stress test is that it takes 75% or more blockage to return a positive result.
If a positive is returned, it does not mean that you cannot avoid a heart attack. However, it does usually mean that your arteries are in an advanced stage of disease.
With the modernization of medicine and advancing technology, the cardiac tests have improved throughout the years. In the past, the cardiac test only tested for severe narrowing of the arteries.
However, new tests try to catch potential causes of a heart attack before it is too late. For example, fat deposits located in the artery walls and vulnerable plaques.
This test is usually done on a treadmill. The most basic definition of a cardiac stress test is that it measures the amount of stress the heart is able to handle.
This level indicates how healthy the heart is and whether it will be capable of handling the stress in a person's life. Throughout this test your body will work harder and harder.
As your body works harder, the heart has to work harder to pump blood. The doctor will be able to tell whether the heart is able to keep up with the demand of the body properly.
During the test the doctor may ask you to breathe in a tube. This will help measure how much oxygen is being passed into the blood stream.
Your heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure will all be monitored throughout the test. These results will help the doctor return the proper diagnosis.
If your heart is not able to keep up properly, the doctor will probably give you some exercises to help strengthen your heart. He or she may also ask you to take a test to measure the toxins in your arteries.
By catching heart problems early on, you will be able to take measures to prevent a heart attack and the associated side effects.
by: Terry Daniels
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