Exercise Echocardiogram

Overview

Reasons for the Procedure

An exercise echocardiogram, performed after you have exercised on a treadmill or stationary bicycle, may be performed for the following reasons:

• to determine limits for safe exercise in patients who are entering a cardiac rehabilitation program and/or those who are recovering from a cardiac event, such as MI or heart surgery
  
  
• to assess leg pain with exercise (also called intermittent claudication) in patients with suspected occlusion in the legs' circulatory system
  
  
• to evaluate blood pressure during exercise
  
  
• to assess stress or exercise tolerance in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease
  
  
• to evaluate the cardiac status of a patient about to undergo surgery

Risks of the Procedure

Because of the stress the heart incurs during the procedure, there is a small chance for chest pain, heart attack, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, dizziness, nausea, and extreme fatigue. Notify your physician if you have the following conditions:

• aneurysm - a dilation of a part of the heart muscle or the aorta (the large artery which carries oxygenated blood out of the heart to the rest of the body) which may cause a weakness of the tissue at the site of the aneurysm. In extreme cases, the aneurysm may rupture, which is an emergency situation, due to rapid blood loss out of the blood vessels.
  
  
• unstable angina - uncontrolled chest pain.
  
  
• severe heart valve disease - malfunction of one or more of the heart valves may cause an obstruction of the blood flow within the heart.
  
  
• severe congestive heart failure - a condition in which the heart muscle has become weakened to an extent that blood cannot be pumped efficiently; thus, causing buildup (congestion) in the blood vessels, lungs, feet, ankles, and other parts of the body.
  
  
• recent heart attack (Also called myocardial infarction, or MI.)
  
  
• severe hypertension - high blood pressure.
  
  
• uncontrolled irregular heartbeats
  
  
• pericarditis - an inflammation or infection of the sac that surrounds the heart.
  
  
• severe anemia - low red blood cell count.
  

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