An exercise test is requested for:

• Assessment of new chest pain at rest or on exertion
• Assessment of angina
• After a heart attack
• Shortness of breath on exertion
• After insertion of stents
• Pre operative assessment
• As part of a medical examination
• Assess fitness to drive a truck or fly an aeroplane

The Cardiac technologist will ask you to undress to the waist. 10 electrodes (sticky tabs) will be attached to your chest. An ECG (tracing of your heart) will be taken whilst you are lying down and resting.

The doctor supervising the test will take your blood pressure and another ECG will be taken. The treadmill starts off very slowly and on a slight incline and every three minutes the treadmill will get steeper and faster until the end of the test. The test is finished when you have achieved an adequate heart rate and workload or you develop symptoms or ECG changes that require us to stop the test. You can stop the test at any time.

Once the treadmill test is finished you will recover on the bed for at least 5 minutes or until your symptoms and ECG changes have resolved.