 A
cardiac stress test is a medical test performed to evaluate arterial blood
flow to (and indirectly the amount of oxygen that will reach) the myocardium
(heart muscle) during physical exercise, compared to blood flow while at
rest. As an exercise test, the results can also reflect overall physical
fitness. These tests do not assess emotional stress or other connotations
of the term.
Stress test abnormalities (i.e., "positive" results) are an indication of
imbalances of relative blood flow to the left ventricular muscle tissue.
This is important because the left ventricle of the heart performs the greatest
amount of work involved in pumping blood around the body. Stress testing
does not detect blood flow imbalances within the other three heart chambers.
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