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The Curious Bag
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Stress tests are used by doctors to help find the causes of problems with the heart's coronary arteries. During this test, the patient usually performs some exercises, but those who cannot exercise take a drug to make the heart pump faster. Overall, this procedure has few risks.
Important
The most serious risk of stress testing, a heart attack or death, only occurs in 1 out of every 5,000 stress tests, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Nuclear Stress Test
The increase in heart beats and radioactive dye used in a nuclear stress test may lead to an irregular heart beat, called an arrhythmia, according to the National Institute of Health. However, this typically dissipates within hours of the test.
Pharmacological Test
The stress test that has the patient take a medicine to make the heart beat faster may result in breathing difficulty, much akin to asthma. These symptoms usually go away in a few hours.
Stress Test in General
Any test that requires the patient to increase their heart rate carries the risk of causing low blood pressure, which may result in dizzy spells or fainting. However, this also tends to go away shortly.
Prevention/Solution
People should discuss the dangers of a stress test with their doctor and decide with him whether to stop taking medication before the test. In addition, people need to alert the staff if they have any unusual side effects during the test.
Source:
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: What Is Stress Testing?
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