Stress echocardiography is an ultrasound investigation of the heart under strain. This type of examination is irreplaceable when it comes to diagnosing cardiologic pathologies at early stages when other methods do not show abnormalities or do not allow to establish a clear clinical picture.
Some cardiovascular diseases have no symptoms at rest but make themselves felt in case of stress. Stress echocardiography allows to reveal such pathologies. The essence of the procedure consists in the effect of “stress” factors: physical (exercises), pharmacologic (under the influence of certain drugs) or electric (when exposed to electric pulses).
Stress echocardiography allows to investigate the function of the heart when it contracts with the maximum rate and consequently requires larger quantity of oxygen than at rest.
Stress echocardiography is irreplaceable for diagnosing latent pathologies, assessing cardiologic risks and predisposition to cardiovascular diseases. It is prescribed, in particular, if the following diseases are suspected:
- coronary heart disease;
- post-infarction cardiosclerosis;
- vascular atherosclerosis.
Besides that, the method is used before cardiac surgeries to assess the risk of complications, estimate the treatment efficiency of cardiovascular diseases and also in cases when EchoCG and ECG investigations proved to be insufficient.
All echocardiography types are contraindicated in acute and subacute stages of myocardial infarction, in cases of aortic or cardiac aneurysms, instable angina pectoris, severe arrhythmias, acute thrombophlebitis, fevers, progressing diabetes mellitus, inflammatory diseases, for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
How is stress echocardiography done?
The patient strips to the waist and lies down on a couch. At first ultrasonic investigation of the heart is performed at rest. The findings are saved and after that the stress is administered to the heart. This may be walking on the running machine, a session on a cycle ergometer, intravenous injection of drugs (e.g., Dipyridamol), electric stimulation of the atriums through the esophagus depending on the procedure type. In the latter case the probe is introduced into the digestive tract through the nose. The stress test may last for 10-15 minutes. After the EchoCG investigation, the findings are compared with the parameter values recorded at rest, then the parameters of the cardiac functioning at rest are assessed.
Echocardiography allows to make an accurate diagnosis. The obtained data is processed by the physician-specialist in ultrasonic diagnostics and the results will be interpreted by your attending physician.
Advantages of doing your stress ECG at JSC Meditsina (Academician Roytberg’s Clinic)
Stress echocardiography is performed using modern ultrasonic equipment with high resolution at JSC Meditsina. Our Doctors-specialists in ultrasonic diagnostics always assess the patient’ condition in its entirety and administer him(her) that stress type which is optimal for his(her) history. The procedure is performed in comfortable conditions. Should the patient so wish, the test can be done at the hospital or at home.
Stay healthy with JSC Meditsina (Academician Roytberg’s Clinic)!