What does a nuclear heart test show?
A nuclear stress test uses a small amount of radioactive material (tracer) and an imaging machine to create pictures showing the blood flow to your heart. The test measures blood flow while you are at rest and during activity, showing areas with poor blood flow or damage in your heart.
Does a nuclear stress test show blockages?
The nuclear stress test shows how blood is flowing to your heart. The test can find blockages and identify damage from a prior heart attack.
How accurate is a nuclear stress test?
The nuclear stress test is generally considered to be the most accurate type of stress test. It has a sensitivity of about 81%, meaning that it will miss about 19% of high-grade blockages.
What does a normal nuclear stress test mean?
Normal Results A normal result means blood flow through the coronary arteries is probably normal. The meaning of your test results depends on the reason for the test, your age, and your history of heart and other medical problems.
Can you still have heart problems with a normal stress test?
This severe narrowing is what causes the severe chest pain called angina. But normal results from a stress test do not rule out the possibility of a future heart attack. This is because a plaque can still rupture, form clots and block an artery. Heart attacks often result from these smaller blockages that rupture.
How do I read my stress test results?
The results of an EST are usually reported as either negative, positive or inconclusive. A negative test result indicates a normal test which significantly decreases the likelihood of coronary artery disease. A positive test result occurs where a diagnosis of coronary artery disease (IHD, angina) is definite.
What is normal blood pressure during stress test?
The normal ranges of blood pressure response to exercise stress testing are as shown in Figure 1. Normal systolic and diastolic responses to exercise stress testing should not exceed 220 and 100 mm Hg, respectively. Systolic blood pressure of >230 mm Hg is generally considered hazardous.
What does a negative stress test mean?
Negative. A negative test result indicates a normal test which significantly decreases the likelihood of coronary artery disease. Positive. A positive test result occurs where a diagnosis of coronary artery disease (IHD, angina) is definite.
What is the next step if you fail a stress test?
If your stress test results suggest that you might have coronary artery disease or show an arrhythmia, your doctor will use the information to develop a treatment plan. You may need additional tests, such as a coronary angiogram.
Is a nuclear stress test better than an echo stress test?
Although stress echocardiography may have comparable ability to detect coronary artery disease, current data suggest that stress echocardiography detects significantly less jeopardized viable myocardium than stress nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging and consequently fewer patients at risk for cardiac events.
What are they looking for in a nuclear stress test?
A nuclear stress test uses a small amount of radioactive substance to determine the health of the heart and blood flow to the heart. The test aims to find out whether any areas of the heart muscle are not receiving enough blood flow during exercise.
How high should your heart rate go during a stress test?
Your target heart rate during a stress test depends on your age. For adults, the maximum predicted heart rate is 220 minus your age. So, if you’re 40 years old, the maximum predicted heart rate is 220 – 40 = 180.