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Although the most common method of stress testing is through an exercise stress test, there are now ways that the doctors can see what is wrong with the heart through chemical stress tests. These chemical stress tests are often more specific and can give the doctors a better picture of what is going on with the heart than by just performing an exercise stress test. However, all types are useful and the type that is used is usually determined by what information the doctor needs to know and the condition of the patient. These stress level tests determine what the heart does when given different levels of stress through exercise or through drugs that cause the heart to act as though it is exercising.
Three Types Of Chemical Stress Tests
There are three types of chemical stress tests that are used today. The first type is one that is used to give doctors a clear picture of the heart’s tissue when at rest and when exercising. This chemical stress test is called the nuclear stress test. A harmless amount of radioactive material is injected into the person before the test which allows a special camera to photograph the tissues in the heart. In this way, the doctors can see what the heart’s tissues are doing when it is at rest and also when it is exercising, whether the exercise is being done by the person or if the exercise is simulated by other drugs. This test is often done after the regular exercise stress test has turned up inconclusive results as to the problem area of the heart.
Another type of chemical stress test is the echocardiogram. In this test echo technology is used to simulate pictures of the heart so that the doctors can look at the walls and other structures in the heat to pinpoint the blood flow issue. This test is also beneficial for doctors to use after other tests have shown that there is a clear problem with the patient’s heart but it is unclear what part of the heart is affected and needs to be fixed in some way.
The final type of chemical stress test is through the use of either the drug adenosine or the drug dobutamine. These drugs can help to trigger the heart into acting as if it is exercising even when the person is lying in the bed. These are useful drugs to use to test the heart when the person is unable to exercise for the exercise stress test.