Stress Tests

Cardiac Stress Tests

A cardiac stress test shows cardiologists if the arteries leading to the heart are getting an adequate blood supply.

When you exercise, your body requires more oxygen than when it is at rest, and your heart works harder to send oxygen-rich blood throughout your body. As part of Bassett Healthcare Network’s diagnostic heart services, our cardiologists give treadmill tests to learn how well your heart performs during exercise.

Reasons for a Stress Test

Cardiologists administer exercise stress tests to assess symptoms like shortness of breath and chest pains, which are primary indicators of coronary artery disease (CAD), a narrowing of the arteries that lead to the heart. A stress test can help diagnose and assess the following heart conditions:

• Cardiac arrhythmia, abnormal heartbeat
• Coronary artery disease
• Heart failure
• Heart valve disease

Heart Stress Tests

Treadmill tests can be performed in our hospitals and specialty care centers. During the test, you will have a blood pressure cuff on your arm, and a technician will attach electrodes to your chest, arms, and legs.

At Bassett Healthcare Network, we offer three types of stress tests:

• Standard stress test, in which you walk on a treadmill or pedal a stationary bike
• Imaging stress test, which uses an echocardiogram or nuclear tracer to produce pictures of your heart while you exercise
• Dobutamine or Adenosine stress test, which uses a drug to mimic the effects of exercise in people for whom exercising is difficult

Your specialist will want to know any heart-related symptoms, such as chest pain, that appear during the test. Your blood pressure, breathing, heart rate, and level of fatigue will be monitored during the test.  

Get Your Referral for a Heart Stress Test

If you have been experiencing heart related symptoms, you may need a treadmill screen as part of your heart care. Ask your primary care physician or practitioner for a referral to get started.

Bassett Healthcare Network provides stress tests in Central New York, including Cooperstown, Oneonta, Little Falls, Cobleskill, and beyond.