How long does a stress echocardiogram take?
In most cases, a stress echocardiogram will take between 30 to 60 minutes to complete.
How accurate is a stress echocardiogram?
A stress echocardiogram is highly accurate in detecting heart problems, with accuracy ranging from 80% to 90%. Although not an anatomical assessment of coronary blockages, this is a functional study, meaning your heart will be put through a degree of stress (either with cycling, running or with pharmacological stress with dobutamine - a drug like adrenaline which causes the heart to pump faster and stronger).
The echocardiogram, which looks carefully at the major pumping chambers of the heart, will then be able to assess the difference in pump function between the resting state and the stress/exercising state, to look accurately for regions in the heart which may start to deteriorate in function (ie. become weaker in pumping during stress) which implies that the flow of blood to the heart becomes insufficient during stress, usually caused by underlying coronary artery blockages. If your stress echo is positive, showing evidence of the heart weakening, then your cardiologist may refer you onwards for an angiogram to assess the anatomical structure of your coronary arteries.
How often should you have a stress echocardiogram?
How often you should have a stress echocardiogram depends on your individual circumstances and the reason for having the test. Routine stress echocardiograms are not recommended for those with no known heart conditions, but may be appropriate to have annually or every few years for those with diagnosed heart conditions like coronary artery disease or heart failure.
