• Call Outpatient Registration to schedule your Stress Test, 402-5000. A physician order is necessary and must be presented at the time of testing.
• Do not eat or drink 3 to 4 hours before the test to prevent nausea.
• Wear comfortable clothing and shoes for walking.
• It is important that you are on time for your scheduled appointment. You will need to check in with the Outpatient Admitting Office unless you have been pre-registered and told to report directly to the department. A volunteer is available to escort you to the Non-invasive Cardiology Department for your procedure.

During:

Your test will be in two parts
Part 1: Takes about 30 minutes

• You will be asked to remove your clothing from the waist up. A technician will then slightly abrade your chest in designated areas and place electrodes with attached lead wires to these sights. Preliminary EKGs are run to assess the heart’s function at rest. The technician will explain the test in detail before the physician arrives, and demonstrate how to walk on a treadmill.

Part 2: Takes about 30 minutes

• When the physician arrives, the patient will walk on the treadmill until they reach a predetermined heart rate or until the physician determines the desired information has been obtained. The patient will then either sit or lie down until the resting heart rate is resumed. EKG recordings are made before, during and after exercise.

After:

• Resume normal activities unless otherwise instructed by your physician.
• A cardiologist/radiologist will examine your test.
• Results will be reported to your physician within 24-48 hours. Resume normal activities unless otherwise instructed by your physician.