Stress Echocardiograms
Performing a stress echo on a patient
Stress echocardiography is used to detect coronary artery disease. Exercise on the treadmill raises the heart rate. Echocardiogram images are recorded before and after exercise to assess left ventricular wall motion at rest and when under stress. Comparing the images enables us to discover whether there is any important coronary artery disease. For those patients unable to exercise a drip can be used to raise the heart rate.