During the classic fatigue test, the reaction of the heart is monitored, when the examinee exerts himself by exercising on a treadmill. However, a significant percentage of people who have to do a fatigue test (about 20-30%) cannot undergo this test. If you fall into this category, you may undergo a stress test with drugs, which cause artificial fatigue in the heart. The medicinal substances that increase cardiac work are dobutamine, dipyridamole and adenosine. Drug fatigue testing is usually done in the context of dynamic echocardiography.
HOW IT IS DONE: It is done like a simple echocardiogram, with the difference that it is combined with artificial fatigue of the heart. You will lie on the medical bed and the doctor will give you intravenously the medicinal substance (the substance most used is dobutamine) in specific doses and gradually. With the help of ultrasound, the anatomy of the heart (myocardium, valves, blood flow, etc.) and its image in a state of fatigue and rest are displayed on a screen. The images of your heart are recorded on video and digitally compared at all stages of the examination.
what it can diagnose: This test is used to diagnose ischemia of the myocardium (poor blood supply). It is also useful in patients who have had a myocardial infarction and it must be established whether they have a viable myocardium, so that they can undergo – if necessary – coronary artery angioplasty (balloon) or bypass.
THE BENEFITS: With medicated fatigue you don’t get tired, out of breath or sweaty on the treadmill or bike! Also, the image of the heart is better recorded because the movements of the chest are limited.
IS IT TRUSTWORTHY: The ultrasound fatigue test method is considered highly reliable for the detection of coronary artery disease. Its reliability even reaches 90%, while the reliability of the simple fatigue test does not exceed 80%.
