Can a stress test detect ischemia?
Stress echocardiography is an established technique for the assessment of extent and severity of coronary artery disease. The combination of echocardiography with a physical, pharmacological or electrical stress allows to detect myocardial ischemia with an excellent accuracy.
What does it mean if myocardial ischemia is detected?
Myocardial ischemia occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle (myocardium) is obstructed by a partial or complete blockage of a coronary artery by a buildup of plaques (atherosclerosis). If the plaques rupture, you can have a heart attack (myocardial infarction).
What does a positive heart stress test mean?
Positive or abnormal: Doctors may conclude the stress test is positive for cardiac ischemia—meaning the heart muscle wasn’t getting adequate oxygenated blood during the stress. There are certain ECG and imaging changes that would support this conclusion. There are also clinical findings that could support it.
What does mildly positive TMT mean?
Mildly positive TMT means that there might be a blockage in the blood supply to the heart. And when the patient is running or climbing stairs or during exertion stress the heart is not getting suffic …
What do you do after a positive stress test?
After you stop exercising, you may be asked to stand still for several seconds and then lie down for a period of time with the monitors in place. Your doctor can watch for any problems as your heart rate and breathing return to normal.
Can ECG detect myocardial ischemia?
ECG is an effective tool to distinguish between acute MI and the myocardial ischemia that usually precedes it, as not all patients with myocardial ischemia will develop MI. Transitioning from ischemia to infarction results in precise sequential electrical abnormalities captured on ECG.
What is the main cause of ischemic heart disease?
IC is typically caused by a heart attack or coronary artery disease. Risk factors for these conditions include: family history of coronary heart disease. high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.