Treadmill exercise stress testing is the most basic
form of stress testing which relies on the patient’s ability to
walk on a treadmill while continuously monitoring the heart rate
and heart rhythm. A continuous electrocardiogram is evaluated to
assess the presence of coronary ischemia (decreased perfusion of
the heart arteries) during exercise. An abnormal treadmill stress
test may be followed by a second stress test with imaging capabilities
(stress echo or myocardial perfusion imaging) which increases the
accuracy of diagnosing coronary artery disease or may result in
coronary angiography.
