I am considering to do a Stress Test before starting my Triathlon season. I am from Europe and It is a really very common test to do there. I have been doing some research but I am not sure where to go or what is the correct name of this test. Is this something that I need to do through my insurance or is it a private thing? I am located on the LA area.
It sounds like you are talking about a cardiac stress test and I think you are going to have a hard time getting one without a prescription. Years ago I tried to get one after I learned that one of the things you could get out of it was your VO2Max numbers and I had no luck. The doc would only do the test with a prescription/referral from another doc showing an underlying heart condition that justified it. I did eventually find a university that would give me a VO2Max test for $50 though, but it seems like you might be looking for something more/different.
Without more information, hard to answer your question. But I’ll take a stab at it. I am guessing you mean exercise stress test. But it’s not clear what you would gain by doing one. What are you hoping to learn? I mean, if you are an experienced triathlete who has done a decent amount of training, quite a lot of your workouts have probably been an equivalent to an exercise stress test. And assuming you didn’t suffer, collapse, die from those training sessions, there may not be a whole lot you will learn from an exercise stress test done in a lab. Is there something medical you are hoping to learn from that? If so, might be better to discuss with a sports doctor or cardiologist and figure out if you need an ECG and an echocardiogram to explore those concerns.
I don’t know how it works in Europe.
The name of the test you want is a stress echo.
I paid for it out of pocket here in USA.
First of all, thank you guys. In Europe, if you want to compete with your club on any cycling, running, triathlon or any other sport competition, in order to get your “sport license” you have to pass this stress test before. Even, some popular races, is required that you show your stress test before registering. Per what you say, in the US, this is totally different and not required. We just do it in order to see if you and your heart is capable to handle any stress situation with no issues.
I don’t know how it works in Europe.
The name of the test you want is a stress echo.
I paid for it out of pocket here in USA.
How much do they go for ?
The University here has asked me to do several experiments for them. Last one was 4 hours of cycling in a calorimeter at 40deg C with 2 thermal probes entering at two end of the body…nose and …
But before doing the tests they make me do a VO2max test with electrocardio something, performed by a cardiologist. They want a) to get my base VO2max, b) make sure I don’t keel over during their experiment. I suspect it’s the same test ?
I am scheduled for the next round on September. It will be interesting to see how my VO2 has deteriorated in the lasdt 2 years of aging.
First of all, thank you guys. In Europe, if you want to compete with your club on any cycling, running, triathlon or any other sport competition, in order to get your “sport license” you have to pass this stress test before. Even, some popular races, is required that you show your stress test before registering. Per what you say, in the US, this is totally different and not required. We just do it in order to see if you and your heart is capable to handle any stress situation with no issues.
This sounds like a stress echocardiogram. The stress can be induced chemically or by ramping up to your max heart rate on a treadmill then jumping off to get the echo cardiogram done. I did that 1 year after my heart attack and I’m sure Medicare was billed some big bucks.
The fact that it is required (and can be done easily) just to run the local Turkey Trot blows my mind.
(yes I know they don’t have Thanksgiving in Europe)
It sounds like you are talking about a cardiac stress test and I think you are going to have a hard time getting one without a prescription. Years ago I tried to get one after I learned that one of the things you could get out of it was your VO2Max numbers and I had no luck. The doc would only do the test with a prescription/referral from another doc showing an underlying heart condition that justified it. I did eventually find a university that would give me a VO2Max test for $50 though, but it seems like you might be looking for something more/different.
That’s bizarre. The reason they conduct cardiac stress tests in the first place is because the underlying conditions are not evident at rest or low levels of activity. Was this in the US?
I don’t know how it works in Europe.
The name of the test you want is a stress echo.
I paid for it out of pocket here in USA.
How much do they go for ?
The University here has asked me to do several experiments for them. Last one was 4 hours of cycling in a calorimeter at 40deg C with 2 thermal probes entering at two end of the body…nose and …
But before doing the tests they make me do a VO2max test with electrocardio something, performed by a cardiologist. They want a) to get my base VO2max, b) make sure I don’t keel over during their experiment. I suspect it’s the same test ?
I am scheduled for the next round on September. It will be interesting to see how my VO2 has deteriorated in the lasdt 2 years of aging.
Doesn’t sound like they require a stress echo. They want a baseline ECG which is what an electrocardiogram is. That’s an easy test that takes 10 min and doesn’t cost much. I doubt you have to pay north of 50$.
A stress echo is Doppler echo of the heart while you exercise. You have to run on progressive incline to get your HR up and they look at it with the ultrasound. That is more expensive and probably with the consultation fee, about $600-1k. I don’t know exactly but since I am a physician and know people, my fees were way discounted.
I am considering to do a Stress Test before starting my Triathlon season. I am from Europe and It is a really very common test to do there. I have been doing some research but I am not sure where to go or what is the correct name of this test. Is this something that I need to do through my insurance or is it a private thing? I am located on the LA area.
In the US, frankly, I’ve found it really easy to have these tests approved by insurance. All I had to do was complain about some breathing irregularities during exercise (which ended up being only transient). I passed the ventilation test and they scheduled me for the stress test but I never followed through with it. My mom was concerned that she was not fit enough for exercise and her doctor kind of coached her with what to say. Others have mentioned either private performance entities or academic facilities. Both are also good recommendations in the US, but I have no idea what kind of options you have in Europe.
i would guess he is talking about an EKG, as i believe those are more commonly done in europe as an athletic screening (debatable efficacy). an actual stress test (exercise, nuclear etc) in asymptomatic athletes would be overkill, expensive, and probably downright irresponsible medicine. patients are not customers, just because they want a test ordered doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do.
Yes it was in the US. If I’d been willing to make up symptoms I would have gotten it easily, I just wasn’t willing to lie to get the test done. My only motivation was to understand my physiology better and I told them that. Then they told me to go away.
You’ll need a cardiologist to order one for you.
I recently had some workup done because I’ve had a history of arrhythmias for last 5-6 years. I never had any symptoms except that I can feel them. I just turned 40 so finally decided to get it checked out.
Here’s the break down of the cost without including insurance coverage.
Cardiology consult $359
Holter $310
2D Echo $940
Stress test $325
There should be one more bill for follow up visit. Insurance covered slightly more than 50%… still expensive for essentially a normal finding.
You’ll need at least the consult, stress test and follow up. The cardiologist may order more. I work in infectious disease and my partner tends to order every test under the sun despite evidence against it because of his fear of being sued.
I’m not trying to discourage you, but maybe you should see your primary first. A stress test might not be necessary unless you have symptoms or family history.
I am considering to do a Stress Test before starting my Triathlon season. I am from Europe and It is a really very common test to do there. I have been doing some research but I am not sure where to go or what is the correct name of this test. Is this something that I need to do through my insurance or is it a private thing? I am located on the LA area.
When I read “Stress Test” as the subject, I laughed wondering how long it would take for someone to answer with something like “Marriage after 12 months??” Guess I overestimated our ST regulars! 
Yes it was in the US. If I’d been willing to make up symptoms I would have gotten it easily, I just wasn’t willing to lie to get the test done. My only motivation was to understand my physiology better and I told them that. Then they told me to go away.
This will depend on the doctor. I went to cardiologist in a group that does baseline physicals for a couple of professional teams. I talked about my participation in triathlon and some of the deaths that occur with fit individuals that are attributed to latent or undetected cardiac conditions. He checks me out and says I don’t anticipate any issues but lets do an echo cardiogram stress test to be sure. It got approved by insurance.
Go in get an IV line and hooked up to EKG machine for baseline numbers, then get echo cardiogram, then with dye, then get on the treadmill to get the heart rate up and record with the EKG stuff hooked up, finally while on the treadmill and a crazy incline and speed (took for ever to try and reach max heart rate…I was on the last protocol and they just decided to stop), they put the dye in again and you run for 30 more seconds, then jump on table and get another cardiogram, then sit and record more EKG data.
Now my only caveat to this is that I am 50 so maybe the age gets me the test easier?
Every time you train hard, you’re doing a stress test. (This according to my brother-in law, an M.D. here in the U.S., when I asked him if I’d be able to get my doc to order one for me.)
Every time you train hard, you’re doing a stress test. (This according to my brother-in law, an M.D. here in the U.S., when I asked him if I’d be able to get my doc to order one for me.)
Well yes and no to that one (coming from an MD). You are only stressing to the point of experiencing chest pain or other symptoms. A lab based stress test will measure blood pressure along with looking for electrical or echocardiographic evidence of ischaemia which you may not be having any symptoms of at the time. These changes may occur long before you actually get chest pain. So whilst it is reassuring that you may be able to train hard and stress your heart that way, it is not really a good way to stress test yourself as you don’t get any of the proper lab evidence of what is happening with your heart…sorry being pedantic here…