Who is a Candidate for a Nuclear Stress Test?

Most of us have had an electrocardiogram (EKG) at some point. While an EKG provides basic (but vital) information about your heart’s electrical activity, a nuclear stress test offers far more comprehensive information about your heart health.

At TLC Medical Group Inc., Anthony B. Lewis, MD, FACC, and his team use nuclear stress testing to help ensure patients receive the most appropriate care for their needs and their long-term heart health. Here, learn how nuclear stress testing works and which patients are candidates for this state-of-the-art evaluation.

Nuclear stress testing 101

Nuclear stress tests use very tiny amounts of radioactive materials called tracers to provide clear images of your heart and surrounding blood vessels. The tracers are injected into your bloodstream like a contrast dye used in some imaging tests.

As the tracers circulate through your heart and blood vessels, they emit tiny signals that are “picked up” by a special device. This device uses those signals to create highly detailed images that highlight the heart’s structures and show how blood is flowing in and around it.

The amount of radioactive material in the tracer is so tiny it poses no health risks, and your body eliminates it shortly afterward. Like other types of imaging tests, nuclear stress tests can be helpful in determining the cause of symptoms, diagnosing heart-related problems, and managing therapy.

Candidates for nuclear stress testing

In general, patients with many types of heart-related concerns are good candidates for nuclear stress testing.  At TLC Medical Group, we recommend nuclear stress tests for patients who:

• Have suspected but undiagnosed coronary artery disease (CAD)
• Have worsening symptoms of diagnosed CAD
• Have had heart attacks or other heart problems
• Have a standard EKG that shows abnormal heart activity
• Have certain types of chest pain (angina)
• Have shortness of breath suspected to be heart-related
• Have other heart-related diseases or conditions, like congestive heart failure

As noted, nuclear stress tests are frequently recommended following heart-related procedures, like bypass surgery or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), to evaluate the effectiveness of the procedure, assess potential risks, and guide treatment.

What to expect during your test

Like “regular” (non-nuclear) stress tests, a nuclear stress test evaluates how your heart responds to physical stress—in this case, the stress caused by walking on a treadmill or using an exercise bike. Prior to your test, we place electrodes on your chest and an IV in your arm. The tracer is administered via the IV.

Next, you’ll walk on a treadmill or use an exercise bike while we closely monitor your heart rate. Once you reach a specific target heart rate, we inject the radiotracer and use a special imaging device to capture real-time images of your heart and blood vessels. Afterward, you’ll rest briefly, and then we take another set of images that show your heart at rest.

At the completion of your test, we compare the “before-and-after” images to evaluate your heart and blood vessel function at rest and during activity. This comparison allows our team to identify areas that may be damaged or not functioning properly. 

If you cannot exercise, our team can simulate the same type of stress using a particular medicine that safely increases your heart rate briefly. Finally, we’ll discuss your results with you and what impact, if any, those results have on your recommended treatment plan.

Prioritize your heart health

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States. Nuclear stress testing is just one way our team helps patients get the care and treatment they need to manage heart health and prevent serious problems.

To learn more about nuclear stress testing, contact Dr. Lewis and the team at TLC Medical Group in Port St. Lucie, Florida, today to request an appointment online or over the phone.