3. Do you really need that stress test?
A stress test, also called a stress exercise test, shows how your heart is working during physical exercise. During physical activity, the heart pumps blood harder and faster. This test can help your cardiologist find out if there are any problems with the blood flow within the heart.
During a stress test, you will need to walk on a treadmill or ride a stationary bike. The cardiologist will examine your blood pressure, heart rhythm, and breathing. If you are not able to exercise, you will take some special medicine that mimics the effects of exercise.
But, do you really need this stress test? Most people will start doing them every year after the age of 50. But you should be aware of one thing that your cardiologist is not telling you: this test can only detect blockages of 70% or bigger.
If you don’t have any symptoms like chest pain, an abnormal EKG, or shortness of breath, there is a chance that you don’t need to undergo a stress test every year.
