title: Stress test: a primer for primary care physicians.
abstract: Although stress testing is generally a safe procedure, complications may occur. Types of stress tests include electrocardiographic exercise stress test, myocardial imaging exercise stress test, and myocardial imaging pharmacological stress tests. Nuclear imaging stress test is a preferable modality in women. Exercise-based stress tests provide evaluations of functional capacity, as well as their blood pressure and heart rate recovery rate, which offer additional diagnostic and prognostic information. Exercise-based stress tests should be considered before using a pharmacological-based test. Different exercise protocols are available, dependent on patients' clinical status. Patients incapable of achieving 5 metabolic equivalent units (METs) of exercise should have a pharmacological stress test. Different pharmacological agents are available for stress tests, and the agents' choice depends on the patients' characteristics and their medications. Some markers may indicate a highly positive stress test, which warrants immediate attention. Indications, contraindications, and precautions for stress test modalities are discussed in this article.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Louisiana State University- Health Science Center, School of Medicine in Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71130, USA.
authors.forename: Ishak A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Mansi
mesh_terms: D000241:Adenosine; D000465:Algorithms; D000075202:Contraindications; D004176:Dipyridamole; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000187:drug effects / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011320:Primary Health Care; D014665:Vasodilator Agents
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D004176:Dipyridamole; D000241:Adenosine