What’s The Difference Between An EKG and Echo Stress Test?
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For Los Angeles, CA men and women who are at heightened risk of developing Type II diabetes or heart disease, cardiometabolic testing can give you helpful information before you experience symptoms. At Dr. Avi Ishaaya Centers, we help our patients monitor their risks for these chronic life-changing medical conditions. You may be at risk for metabolic syndrome, which can be diagnosed by our board-certified physician, Dr. Avi Ishaaya. A treadmill EKG stress test or an echo stress test enables our experienced staff to gain insight into your current and future health. If you are curious to know what is the difference between an EKG and echo test, and what they do, find your answers here.
Who should consider stress tests?
Generally, candidates for a stress test in Los Angeles, CA are:
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Those with a family history of diabetes, stroke, or heart diseases
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Men and women with a poor diet or who live a sedentary life
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Smokers
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Overweight or obese
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Over 45
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Have high blood pressure, hypothyroidism, sleep apnea, polycystic ovary syndrome, or a hormone imbalance.
We can evaluate your health to determine if an echo stress test or EKG stress test is right for you.
What is an EKG stress test?
An EKG stress test is the most common heart test and is given to anyone being evaluated for a heart problem. So, what is an EKG stress test? At Dr. Avi Ashaaya Centers, we place nodes on the chest wall, allowing us to track your heart’s rhythm. We learn about the rate and rhythm, which helps diagnose abnormal heart tracings, including low heart rates, fast heart rates, irregular heartbeats (atrial fibrillation), or even a heart block. An EKG can also give Dr. Ishaaya clues about possible abnormalities in the heart muscle or enlargement of the heart chambers.
What happens during an echo stress test?
The echo stress test is usually used in people with signs or symptoms of heart disease. During this test, your heart is imaged with echocardiography while you’re resting and again after exercise. This heart ultrasound uses vibrations from the heart to create a picture of your heart in motion. During this test, you will start by walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike until you reach your target heart rate. An echocardiogram is taken after you reach this milestone. Next, you will do a variety of exercises where your heart will be monitored. We will evaluate your heart chambers and valves while under stress to see if blood flow is optimal, and if there are any dead heart muscle tissue or any abnormal muscle contractions. This test is up to 90% accurate for both women and men.
Echo stress test results
Dr. Ishaaya will review your stress test results and make recommendations for your care in Los Angeles, CA. If you received an abnormal result, it may mean that the blood flow to your heart is insufficient. Some suggestions for treatment may include:
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Diet/nutrition counseling
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Lifestyle changes
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Medication management
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Smoking cessation
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Weight loss
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New exercise program
Dr. Ishaaya will work with you to develop a plan that will work best for your health. Ultimately, these tests can detect problems before anything serious happens in your daily life.
Ready for stress tests in Los Angeles, CA?
Dr. Avi Ishaaya Centers in Los Angeles, CA helps treat a wide range of medical conditions, such as heart disease or pre-diabetes, in the early stages before they become life-threatening. If you are concerned about your heart health, we can offer echo stress tests and EKG stress tests to help diagnose and treat pulmonary issues. We will work with you to create and implement preventative medicine and lifestyle changes to help you to maintain a high quality of life. Dr. Avi Ishaaya is a board-certified physician in pulmonary, sleep, internal, and geriatric medicine. Call our Los Angeles, CA office today to schedule a consultation.