Why do some people still get heart attacks after being told to have a normal stress test ?
Atherosclerotic plaques are like “pimples” inside the lining of the arteries causing blockages and this process starts in ones body from teenage. Such “pimples” can grow over period of time and block the artery completely. A small pimple can also block the artery suddenly when it breaks open. The release of the pimple’s paste like contents causes the blood flowing through the artery to clot and block the flow completely. Properly conducted stress test can detect presence of blood flow limiting blockages (typically >70% narrowing) in the coronary arteries with an overall accuracy of approximately 90%. Hence a stress test cannot rule out minor blockages, which can potentially break open and cause heart attack. But the good news is that if a properly conducted stress test shows no evidence of tight blockages, the risk of heart attack in the succeeding year is less than 1%.
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