Why Do I Need a Nuclear Stress Test?

Your heart muscle is the most imperative organ; it pumps oxygenated blood throughout the body to ensure all the cells, tissues, and organs function well. Unfortunately, the heart isn't invincible and is prone to various issues, including arrhythmias and infarction.

Most people know something is going on with their heart through various symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, or exercise intolerance. These symptoms should signal a trip to the emergency room or heart specialist.

A nuclear stress test is one of the diagnostic tests the team at the Heart Clinic of Hammond utilizes to determine the health of your heart.

Dr. Ghiath Mikdadi and Dr. Farid Zayed are experienced cardiologists offering nuclear and exercise stress testing, ECGs, and Holter monitoring to understand what's happening with your heart muscle.

The facts on a nuclear stress test

A nuclear stress test is one of the many diagnostic studies we perform to determine the health of your heart. It involves a radiotracer, a radioactive dye that runs through the body after we inject it through an IV line.

The radiotracer appears on a distinct type of imaging, which tracks it as it moves through the veins to the heart and back into the body. The tracer may be given as the first diagnostic study or used after an exercise stress test.

During the test, we look for areas where the tracer moves slowly or doesn't go where it should. This information gives us an idea of where there could be poor blood flow or damage to the heart muscle.

During the nuclear stress test, we monitor your vital signs on a heart monitor and take pictures of the radiotracer before and during exercise to identify problem areas in the heart and arteries.

Who needs a nuclear stress test?

If you have symptoms of heart disease, you may need a nuclear stress test. Chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, and dizziness are all warning signs of a cardiac event. You should seek emergency treatment immediately if you have any of these signs.

An ECG is usually the first test we perform to check your heart rate and rhythm. It's the least invasive diagnostic test. However, it doesn't tell us much about the blood flow through the heart.

A nuclear stress test is a way to see how your heart responds to stress and whether damage is causing your symptoms.

You may also require a nuclear stress test if we suspect coronary artery disease (CAD). During the test, we can determine if you have CAD and the severity of the damage to the coronary arteries.

We also perform a nuclear stress test after we treat you for CAD to determine how well the treatments are working. We can then tweak your treatment plan to ensure your heart stays healthy.

What else does the test show?

A nuclear stress test is an excellent diagnostic tool for the heart. We utilize it for many reasons, from diagnosing a problem you didn't know about to seeing how specific treatments improve blood flow.

During the test, we closely watched where the radioactive tracer went into the heart. It shows a lot of helpful information, including:

• How your heart does during exercise
• Previous damage from a heart attack
• Narrowing of the vessels or blockages
• The need for other imaging studies
• Determine if other procedures have worked
• Improvement of blood flow after intervention
• The best route of treatment for chest pain

The best part about the test is that it's noninvasive, except for the IV necessary for the radiotracer. There are minimal side effects or complications, which we explain to you before the procedure.

Any time you have symptoms due to blood flow problems in the heart, we suggest a nuclear stress test to determine how the heart is functioning and what treatment methods may work to prevent further damage.

Call the Heart Clinic of Hammond team today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Mikdadi or Dr. Zayed for a nuclear stress test, or you can request a consultation on our website.