How To Prepare For Your Stress Test

Wear comfortable, loose fitting pants or slacks. You will need shoes that tie and have good traction. Sneakers are fine. You will be asked to disrobe to your waist and put a gown on.

DO NOT EAT OR DRINK ANY FOODS OR FLUIDS AFTER MIDNIGHT BEFORE YOUR TEST

Exception: You are allowed a small amount of water for your medication if your doctor has advised you to take a medication.

If you have any questions regarding this procedure, please call your physician.

Cardiolite Exercise Stress Test

What Is A Cardiolite Exercise Test?

A Cardiolite exercise test is a valuable test that is used to help diagnose heart disease. It is a special test that consists of an exercise portion, followed by two sets of medical imaging scans, one set done following the exercise portion and one set done the following day.

What Is Cardiolite?

Cardiolite is an imaging agent that, when given at the end of your treadmill exercise, is absorbed into the heart muscle. Cardiolite is so weak that it is ordered daily. For this reason, if you cannot keep your appointment you are asked to call your doctor or the Diagnostic Center at 542-1824, at least 24 hours ahead.

What Can I Expect?

Make sure to follow your doctor's instructions on how to prepare for your stress test.

When you arrive at the hospital, please go to the Outpatient Admitting Department.

After a consent form has been signed, you will be taken to the Same Day Surgery Area to have an IV started. You will then be taken into the Stress Testing area. The Stress Test Technician will perform an EKG while you are resting. When the physician arrives you will exercise while the EKG is being performed.

After you have exercised on the treadmill the Nuclear Medicine Technologist will inject the Cardiolite through the IV.

Throughout the exercise test you will be closely monitored by EKG readings and blood pressure checks. At the completion of the exercise portion of this test, you will be brought to the Diagnostic Center for the first scan part of this test. After a 30-60 minute wait the first scan will be done and the IV will be removed. You have been scheduled to return the following day for a second scan.

On the morning of the second scan, you may have liquids only for breakfast, but NO coffee, tea, or cola drinks.

On the second day, you will have an injection of Cardiolite, wait for 60-90 minutes then have the second scan which will take about 20 minutes. You have now completed the Cardiolite Exercise test.

You may resume your medications as your doctor has ordered and you may eat. It will take 2 to 3 working days for your physician to receive the test results.

Cardiolite Persantine Test

A Cardiolite Persantine test is a valuable tool that is used to diagnose heart disease. A Persantine test is used for persons who are unable to walk on a treadmill for a sufficient amount of time to have a valid exercise test. The medication Persantine exercises the heart as if you were walking.

What Is Cardiolite?

Cardiolite is an imaging agent that, when used in conjunction with the Persantine, is absorbed into the heart muscle. Cardiolite is so weak that it is ordered daily. For this reason, if you cannot keep your appointment you are asked to call your doctor or the Diagnostic Center at 542-1824, at least 24 hours ahead.

What Can I Expect?

Make sure to follow your doctor's instructions on how to prepare for your stress test.

When you arrive at the hospital, please go to the Outpatient Admitting Department.

After a consent form is signed, you will first be taken to the Same Day Surgery Area to have two IVs started. You will then be taken to the Stress Testing Area. You will be lying down on a table for 20-30 minutes. EKG leads will be placed on your chest. An EKG and a blood pressure reading will be performed each minute during the test.

The doctor will inject the Persantine through the IV, over a four-minute period. Three minutes later, the Cardiolite will be injected, after several more minutes of monitoring; you will get up and sit on the couch in X-ray for about a 30-minute wait. After your wait, you will return to the Nuclear Medicine table for your pictures. This scan will take about 20 minutes and then you may leave. You have been scheduled to return the following day for the second scan.

On the morning of the second scan, you may have liquids only for breakfast, but NO coffee, tea or cola drinks.

The following day you will return for the second scan. An injection of Cardiolite will be done in the Diagnostic Center, followed by a waiting period of 60-90 minutes, and then the second scan will be done. This scan will take about 20 minutes. When the scan is completed you have now finished the Cardiolite Persantine test and may leave.

You may resume your medications as your doctor has ordered and you may eat. It will take 2 to 3 working days for your physician to receive the test results.