Stress Echocardiography

Stress echocardiography, or stress echo, is an exercise test that helps your doctor see how well your heart pumps when made to beat harder. Harmless sound waves bounce off your heart. The sound waves show the structure and movement of your heart before and immediately after exercise. By comparing the images taken before and after exercise, your doctor can see any changes in the way your heart muscle works when under the strain of exercise. This tells your physician whether your heart is getting enough blood to meet its increased demand for oxygen.

How it works

During a stress echo, a transducer (a small device that produces sound waves) is placed on your chest before and immediately after you exercise. The sound waves bounce off your heart and are changed into images on a video screen. The doctor compares the two images to detect any changes in the way your heart responds when you exert yourself.