I'm Nervous About a Stress Test: What Can I Expect?

Most patients feel nervous before their first cardiac stress test. Understanding what happens during this diagnostic procedure helps ease those concerns.

At Advanced Cardiovascular Care, Inc., in Riverside, California, board-certified cardiologist Syed W. Bokhari, MD, FACC, FSVM, helps patients know what to expect during a stress test.

How to prepare for your stress test

On test day, dress for light exercise; comfortable clothes and walking shoes are ideal. Women should wear a sports bra for comfort.

Avoid caffeine on test day as it affects your heart rate and can skew results. Don’t eat heavy meals within two hours of your appointment, though a light snack is fine.

Bring a current medication list with you. Dr. Bokhari might ask you to temporarily stop certain heart medications before testing, especially beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers that lower your heart rate.

Small sensors monitor your heart's performance

When you arrive, a technician places adhesive electrodes on your chest to record your heart’s electrical activity. Men with chest hair may need small areas shaved for proper electrode contact.

We record your resting blood pressure and heart activity before exercise begins. This baseline helps us identify changes that occur during exertion.

The appointment typically takes 60-90 minutes, though the exercise portion lasts only 7-12 minutes for most patients.

Most stress tests use a treadmill with increasing difficulty

You start a standard treadmill test by walking slowly on a flat surface. Every few minutes, we increase the speed and incline slightly, according to established protocols.

Your job is to walk as long as you comfortably can. The test continues until you reach your target heart rate, symptoms develop, or major electrocardiogram (EKG) changes appear.

Many patients worry about “failing” the test, but remember: The purpose is diagnostic. How your heart responds provides crucial information, regardless of your exercise capacity.

Some patients need medication instead of exercise

If you have mobility issues, joint problems, or severe breathing difficulties, Dr. Bokhari may recommend a pharmacological stress test instead.

These tests use medications like regadenoson, adenosine, or dobutamine to temporarily increase your heart’s workload without physical exertion. The medication creates effects similar to exercise, allowing us to observe how your heart responds.

The medication may cause brief flushing, headache, or nausea, but these sensations typically subside within minutes.

Imaging techniques provide clearer pictures of heart function

Basic stress tests capture electrical activity through EKG readings. For more detailed information, Dr. Bokhari often combines stress testing with imaging:

• Stress echocardiography (ultrasound of heart wall motion during rest and exercise)
• Nuclear imaging (radioactive tracer shows blood flow through the heart muscle)
• Both methods pinpoint areas with poor blood supply

These advanced techniques significantly improve diagnostic accuracy compared to EKG monitoring alone.

You control when the test stops

We closely monitor you throughout the procedure. The test stops immediately if you experience:

• Chest pain or severe shortness of breath
• Dizziness or weakness
• Leg pain that prevents continued walking
• Concerning changes on the monitoring equipment

Most patients stop well before reaching their maximum capacity, and that’s fine. We obtain valuable information even from shorter test durations.

Results guide personalized treatment decisions

After your stress test, Dr. Bokhari analyzes your results to determine whether your heart receives adequate blood flow during increased demand.

Abnormal results don’t automatically mean you need invasive procedures. Many patients with mild abnormalities benefit from medication adjustments and lifestyle modifications rather than interventions like stenting.

The test provides crucial data to help develop your personalized treatment plan, potentially preventing future cardiac events.

Feeling nervous about your upcoming stress test is natural, but understanding the process helps reduce anxiety. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Bokhari today to discuss any concerns about your stress test. Call Advanced Cardiovascular Care or book an appointment online.