Stress Tests -Treadmill

Treadmill test is performed as stress test in Hacettepe Cardiology. A patient, who is attached to an ECG with 12 derivations, is asked to exert on a treadmill which starts with a slow pace and gradually accelerates in scope of predetermined protocols. It is a preferred method as it is noninvasive, cheap and it has comparatively low rate of complications. Treadmill, which is easier for the patients, is tested for patients with a clinical suspect about a coronary heart disease, with the aim of evaluating effort capacity, as a part of rehabilitation program, for revealing stress-related problems and more uncommonly, for monitoring medication treatment. The test is accepted positive in certain circumstances such as depression in the ST segment indicated by ECG, occurrence of typical chest pain or hypotension. Then, coronary heart disease diagnosis is finalized with an advanced test such as cardiac catheterization. 

Considerations about treadmill (stress test)

Treadmill test involves taking your ECG serially and monitoring your blood pressure while you walk on the treadmill in certain paces. In enables abnormal findings, which cannot be detected within your ECG during rest, to be detected after effort. On the condition that you comply with the recommendations described above, it is a safe test which lasts for a short period of time and provides important information about your disease.

Before you come to your treadmill appointment

Do not eat anything for 3 hours before the test.
Bring along your previous ECG.
Male patients need to shave their chests.
It is more suitable for female patients to wear two-piece clothes.

Please stop taking the following medications at least 48 hours before the test if you are using any of these: dideral, prent,tensinor, visken, lopressör, trasicor,beloc,betadol,nortan,artex,concor,diltizem
Patients using Digoksin should stop taking the medication 1 week before.
Please do not stop taking any other medication, particularly the ones you use due to high blood pressure, other than mentioned above (unless otherwise stated by your physician). Otherwise, your blood pressure can increase too much and your test cannot be performed.