If you've ever been told you have to have an EKG or a stress test, it can be stressful. Dr. Virginia Gonzalez and her team at Cardiovascular Diagnostic Center, in West Monroe, LA, and Winnsboro, LA want to make the idea of having these tests performed less concerning for you by explaining what the differences are between the tests and what their results tell cardiologists.

What is an EKG?

An EKG is also called an electrocardiogram or an ECG at Cardiovascular Diagnostic Center. During the test, electrode patches are placed on your arms, legs, and chest and then the electrical activity is recorded. The test only takes a few seconds to complete, and you can easily find a cardiologist in the West Monroe, LA area that can handle it.

What does an EKG tell a cardiologist?

An EKG will check the rhythm of the heart, diagnose if there is a heart attack, detect if there is unusual electrical activity in the heart, and determine if the blood flow to the heart is poor. 

What is a stress test?

A stress test is a test to see what your heart can handle before an abnormal rhythm begins, or blood flow to your heart is decreased. A stress test is primarily performed in two ways. The most common way of performing a stress test is the treadmill stress test. You walk on a treadmill while your heart rate, blood pressure, and electrocardiogram are tracked throughout the test. For people that are unable to exercise or walk on a treadmill, medication is administered that makes your heart react as if you were exercising, and the same process of monitoring your heart's reaction is utilized.

What does a stress test tell a cardiologist?

A stress test will tell the cardiologist if your heart has abnormal rhythms with activity, if your medications are working properly, if you are getting enough blood flow to your heart while you are active, and to see if you have any coronary disease present or need further testing. Stress tests are frequently used to help assess and/or diagnose the causes of symptoms including chest pain, palpitations, and shortness of breath.

To schedule a consultation with a cardiologist to see if you might need an EKG or a stress test, contact Dr. Gonzalez and her team at Cardiovascular Diagnostic Center, in West Monroe, LA, and Winnsboro, LA at (318) 338-3540.