You should wear comfortable clothes and shoes with nonskid soles. You will probably be asked not to eat or drink anything after midnight, except for a few sips of water if you need to take medicines.

You will need to avoid caffeine for 24 hours before the test. This includes caffeinated beverages such as tea, coffee, and sodas, as well as chocolates, and certain pain relievers.

Your doctor will tell you if you need to stop taking any medicines before the test. Medications used to treat asthma and angina may interfere with test results. Never stop taking any medicine without first talking to your doctor.

It is important to tell your doctor if you have taken a dose of the following medications within the last 24 hours:

• Sildenafil citrate (Viagra)
• Tadalafil (Cialis)
• Vardenafil (Levitra)

Some people feel fatigue, muscle cramps in the legs or feet, shortness of breath, or chest pain during the treadmill test.

If you are given the vasodilator drug, you may feel a sting as the medication is injected, followed by a feeling of warmth. Some patients also have a headache, nausea, and a feeling that their heart is racing.

Rarely, during the test people experience:

• Chest discomfort
• Dizziness
• Palpitations
• Shortness of breath

If any of the symptoms listed above appear during your test, let the lab personnel know immediately.

The test is done to see whether your heart muscle is getting enough blood flow, and therefore enough oxygen, when it is working hard (under stress).

Your doctor may order this test to determine:

• How well a treatment (medications, angioplasty, heart surgery) is working
• If you are at high risk for heart disease before you start an exercise program or have surgery
• The cause of new chest pain or worsening angina
• What you can expect after you have had a heart attack

The results of a nuclear stress test can help your doctor:

• Determine how well your heart is pumping
• Determine the proper treatment for coronary heart disease
• Diagnose coronary artery disease
• See whether your heart is too large

Images

Nuclear scan

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Review Date: 02/09/2011
Reviewed By: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. Previously reviewed by Issam Mikati, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Director, Northwestern Clinic Echocardiography Lab, Northwest. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network (6/22/2010).

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)