A stress test is a tool that allows a doctor to monitor cardiac activity during exercise. When you are active, your heart must beat faster. According to Mayo Clinic, this faster heart rate may reveal certain anomalies that would not show up with a normal heart beat. Contraindication means that with a particular symptom or medical condition, a stress may actually do more harm than good. Ultimately, your doctor is the one to make that decision. If you have concerns, discuss them with your physician. If you are still unsure, get a second opinion.
Unstable Angina
Angina is a pain in your chest due to lack of proper oxygenation or blood flow. Tell your doctor immediately if you experience chest pain. Angina can be a prelude to acute myocardial infarction, or a heart attack. It is imperative that you tell your doctor about any pain you are having right up until the time the test begins. You may be on medication to treat angina, such as nitroglycerin. If this medication is not working properly, your doctor needs to know prior to beginning the test. Angina comes in two forms, stable and unstable. Unstable angina occurs whether you are exercising or not. Stable angina starts with stress or activity. The test may be to determine if you have stable angina. Regardless, any pain is worth reporting prior to a stress test.
Heart Inflammation
Acute heart inflammation indicates that your heart cannot beat properly because there is swelling somewhere within the structure. Endocarditis is inflammation inside the heart lining or valves. Pericarditis is inflammation in the sac around the heart and myocarditis is inflammation of the muscle tissue. Any one of these conditions may indicate viral or bacterial infection in the heart. The swelling literally prevents the heart from beating correctly. Symptoms are similar to a heart attack, but the doctor will do tests to look at the heart to determine if there is inflammation as part of the cardiac assessment. Tell your doctor if you have been ill recently or have any flu-like symptoms, such as chills or headache. Report any fever you have been running, even if you don't currently have an abnormal temperature.
Extreme Obesity
This contraindication has more to do with the physics of the test than your medical condition. Exercise stress tests require use of a treadmill or stationary bike. A patient whose weight exceeds the safety limits of the equipment will have to avoid the test. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, this will be around 350 lbs. for most treadmills or bikes.
Severe Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure, or CHF, means that your heart is unable to pump effectively enough to provide blood flow, so that the blood starts to back up between the heart and lungs. This is an irreversible condition and indicates eminent heart failure. Symptoms include irregular heartbeat, wheezing, excess phlegm in the airways, swelling in ankles and feet and general fatigue. With severe CHF, you will be physically unable to exercise. Your body will not have the energy or strength to do a stress test.
