What is a Stress Test (TMT)

Frequently Asked Questions:

1.What is a Stress Test (TMT)?

A stress test is a treadmill test (TMT). During this test, a person is asked to walk on a treadmill. The speed of this treadmill is increased gradually over time during the test. The person’s heart rhythm is measured constantly to identify any abnormalities in the heart or its functioning.

2.What is the Stress Test (TMT) used for?

This test is used to measure the response of the heart during times of physical stress. One of the best examples of physical stress on the body is cardiovascular exercises like running on a treadmill. Hence, with the help of a treadmill, this test helps to understand the condition of your heart and identify any heart diseases.

3.How to understand the test results of the Stress Test (TMT)?

There are four possible outcomes of a stress test (TMT). One of them is that you have a normal blood flow both during exercise and rest. Another is that you have a normal blood flow during rest but not during exercise. It could also show abnormal blood flow in both cases or even damage in some portion of the heart.

4.Why do I need a Stress Test (TMT)?

You may need the stress test (TMT) if you experience difficulty engaging in physical exercises. Regardless of your age, such difficulty, which is usually in the form of extreme fatigue, could signal underlying heart diseases. Hence, you shouldn’t hesitate from undergoing a stress test (TMT) as it could save your life.

5.What happens during the Stress Test (TMT)?

There are no side effects after this diagnostic procedure since it is a non-invasive one. Nevertheless, during the test, you will be wired up with many monitoring types of equipment that track your heart’s rhythm, breathing patterns, and even blood pressure while you walk/sprint on the treadmill. Moreover, the procedure is a painless one.

6.How fast do you walk during a stress test?

Initially, a baseline recording is taken during a stress test (TMT). After this, you can resume walking at a pace of 4 kilometres per hour. However, this speed will be increased every few minutes. Along with this, the tilt of the treadmill will also be increased. This is done to test how far your heart can take such physical stress.

7.What symptoms require a stress test?

The following symptoms may require you to take a stress test (TMT):

• Mild to severe chest pain
• Severe breathing trouble
• Blood pressure abnormally high or low
• Irregular rhythm of your heart
• Dizziness
• Extreme fatigue

All of these symptoms may prompt your doctor to order a stress test (TMT) to understand the health of your heart

8.What happens if TMT is positive?

A positive test result for your stress test (TMT) means that there have been abnormal changes in your electrocardiogram during the treadmill test. Your doctor will most likely order an angiography test as a follow-up diagnostic for further investigation to arrive at a concrete diagnosis. However, there is nothing to worry about because most such abnormalities are treatable

9. Why would a person need a stress test?

Since the main reason for a stress test is to identify the amount of oxygenated blood flowing to the heart, a person may need this test if their doctor suspects any underlying cardiac ailment. Another major reason a person may need a stress test is if they are suspected of having coronary heart disease.

10.Can TMT tests be false positives?

There may be false positives in a stress test (TMT), but doctors can usually identify such anomalies to avoid an angiography (which is an invasive test). Such a response to a TMT test is known as an ischemic response, and by booking another appointment or availing of a free second opinion, you can understand whether to go for angiography or not.