A cardiac stress test is a noninvasive procedure and is administered to reveal a patient’s heart performance during physical exercise. An exercise stress test can detect if the blood supply is reduced in the arteries that supply the heart.

A stress test is recommended to:
• Diagnose coronary artery disease.
• Assess risk and prognosis in patients with symptoms or a prior history of coronary artery disease.
• Check the effectiveness of procedures done in patients with coronary artery disease.
• Diagnose arrhythmias.

Exercise testing is a cardiovascular stress test using treadmill or bicycle exercise. A person taking the test is hooked up to equipment to monitor the electrocardiogram, the blood pressure and the heart rate during the procedure.