Your doctor has suggested that you should have a Stress Echocardiogram or 'Stress Echo'.
Please read the whole of this leaflet as it contains important information for you prior to the test: PARTICULARLY ABOUT MEDICATIONS YOU MIGHT NEED TO STOP – PLEASE CHECK THE LIST CAREFULLY, AND ASK A PHARMACIST FOR ADVICE IF YOU ARE NOT SURE IF YOUR MEDICATIONS ARE LISTED.
Dos and Don’ts before the test (Please read carefully)
- You should NOT take medications that slow the heart rate for 48 hours before the test. (These are listed at the end of this leaflet. If you have any doubts, please contact your pharmacist or GP practice).
- You should continue all your other medications as usual.
- You should NOT eat for two hours before the test, but you should drink fluids as normal.
- You should avoid driving after the test. Please make other arrangements to travel home.
What is a Stress Echocardiogram (Stress Echo)?
During a Stress Echo, the heart is scanned using ultrasound (similar to a pregnancy scan), and you receive some medicine through a drip which encourages the heart to work harder.
Why is it being done?
A Stress Echo is useful to diagnose chest pain and breathing difficulties. It can also give information about valve problems and help to decide whether heart function will improve after a by- pass operation or other treatment.
A Stress Echo has the advantages of not needing radioactivity or x-rays and being non-invasive.
What does it involve?
In the scanning area 3 people will usually be present – a doctor, a sonographer and a nurse. The sonographer may be male or female and if, under special circumstances i.e. religious reasons, you would prefer a sonographer of the same gender, then please let us know before you attend. You will be asked to undress to the waist, given a gown to wear which will be open at the front, and asked to lie on a couch on your left hand side.
Stickers will be attached to your chest to monitor your heart rate, and your blood pressure will be checked regularly.
A drip will be put in the vein in your arm. The ‘stress’ medicine will be started, and as the heart responds, the sonographer will take pictures of your heart using an ultrasound probe gently placed on your chest.
An imaging enhancing agent will also go into the drip in your arm. This helps to improve the quality of the pictures, but will typically have no other effects.
At the end of the test, the doctor will stop the medicine, and you will continue to be monitored until the effects of the stress medicine have worn off (typically a few minutes).
Overall the test takes around 45 minutes to complete.
At the end of your Stress Echo
In most cases, the supervising consultant will be able to give you the result.
After the test you will be asked just to sit for up to 15 minutes in the department before heading home.
Will I be aware of anything during the Stress Echo?
Most people feel their heart beating both harder and faster. Tingling around the head and face is another common effect.
Occasionally patients feel sick or dizzy, but once the medicine is stopped, you will feel back to normal very quickly.
Are there any risks in having the Stress Echo?
A Stress Echo is an extremely safe test.
Rarely (around 1 in 1000 patients), the stress medicine may make the heart develop an abnormal rhythm. This is rarely dangerous, and it will often settle down by simply stopping the medicine.
There is a very small risk indeed (less than 1 in 2000) of a bad angina attack or heart attack occurring during the test. We realise this may sound worrying, but this level of risk is actually similar to a walking treadmill test.
There is an very small risk (around 1 in 10,000) of developing an allergic reaction to one of the medicines used.
If you have had allergic reactions to any medicine before please inform your doctor before starting the test.
Drugs to stop 48 hours before a Stress Echo
Beta-Blockers:
Acebutolol - Sectral, Secadrex
Atenolol - Tenormin, Co-tenidone, Kalten, Tenoret 50, Tenoretic, Beta-adalat, Tenif
Bisoprolol - Cardicor, Emcor, Monocor
Carvedilol - Eucardic
Celiprolol - Celectol
Labetolol - Trandate
Metoprolol - Betaloc, Lopresor, Co-betaloc
Nadolol - Corgard
Nebivolol - Nebilet
Oxprenolol - Trasicor, Trasidex, Slow-Trasicor
Pindolol - Viskaldix, Visken
Propranolol - Inderal, Inderal LA, Cardinol, Cardinol LA, Angilol, Bedranol SR, Beta Progane, Slo-Pro
Sotalol - Beta-cardone, Sotacor
Timolol - Betim, Moducren, Prestim
Others
Diltiazem - Adizem-SR, Adizem-XL, Antigel SR, Angitil-XL, Calcicard CR, Dilcardia SR, Dilzem SR, Dilzem XL, Optil, Slowzem, Tildiem, Tildiem LA, Tildiem retard, Viazem XL, Zemtard
Verapamil - Cordilox, Securon, Half-Securon, Secron-SR, Univer, Verapress MR, Vertab SR, Zolvera
Ivabradine - Procoralan
Contact Information
Should you require any further information please contact the Cardiorespiratory Department at Fairfield General Hospital on 0161 778 2028.
Date of Review: June 2024
Date of Next Review: June 2026
Ref No: PI_M_925 (Bury)