Stress Echocardiography

This is a combination of a stress test and echocardiography. The heart is stressed either by exercise (treadmill/bike) or by medicine (for patients who cannot exercise). An exercise stress echocardiogram uses ultrasound to create moving images of your heart. A small device, called a transducer, sends sound waves into your body. These waves bounce off solid tissues, like your heart, and create pictures. This test shows how your heart performs under physical stress. If an artery is blocked, the heart muscle that depends on it may not work properly during exercise. By comparing images of your heart at rest and after exercise, your doctor can detect any changes in muscle function and assess blood flow.