What is the purpose of a treadmill test?
A treadmill test is used to detect significant heart and/or lung disease that may not be apparent with a resting ECG. What are the most common reasons for your doctor to perform a treadmill exercise stress test? A treadmill stress test is done to: • evaluate chest pain to determine if the chest pain is due to blockages in your coronary arteries. • evaluate palpitations to see if there is serious problem with the rhythm of your heart. • determine a safe level of exercise after a heart attack. • give advice to a sedentary person who is contemplating a more vigorous exercise program. Preparation for your treadmill stress test. • Do not eat for 2 hours prior to the test. • On the day of your test, do not drink any beverages containing caffeine. • On the day of your test, do not smoke. In fact, if you do smoke, you should ask for the Dubuque Internal Medicine patient education pamphlet entitled “Kicking the cigarette habit”. • CLOTHING: you should wear comfortable clothing (A two piece outf
