HaydenHunter wrote:
daustin wrote:
What were your symptoms during the stress test? Was it an echo stress test? I had suspected heart issues early in the year and did the whole echo stress test which didn’t show anything wrong.I don't know what an echo stress test is, but I went into the lab and they shaved me in a couple of places and hooked up sensors / leads. They put me on a treadmill which starts out slow and easy. They are periodically taking blood pressure reading as you are on the treadmill. Every three minutes they increase the speed and angle of inclination on the treadmill. You essentially keep increasing the pace until you tell them "no bueno".
When I took the test they found 2mm ST depression in multiple leads and I experienced exertional chest burning. This is the funny part because I have never experienced that intense pressure like someone has their foot on your chest. I just get a sensation of burning like my lungs are on fire when I go anaerobic.
When I subsequently had my angiogram they did a left heart catheterization and left ventriculogram through my right arm. The main issue (the reason they installed a stent) was that the Left Anterior Descending Artery was 70 to 80% clogged in the midportion of the vessel. There are flow issues in other areas but they will be treated with medication.
I have to say that I have never had much for symptoms except for the burning chest thing and my blood pressure has steadily risen to pretty high levels. Plus I have found it easier to get out of breath lately. The docs said that they are glad to have treated this issue when they did instead of seeing me arrive in an ambulance after a heart attack.
Echo stress test is what you is plus an echocardiogram before you get on the treadmill and then again immediately after finishing on the treadmill.
That’s what’s scary about some of these heart related stories is that people can have mild symptoms and exercising hard all while having significant heart issues.