Ask the doctor: Exercise versus pharmacologic stress testing
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An exercise stress test done on a treadmill.
But if you have bad knees, arthritis, lung disease, or another physical problem that prevents you from walking or pedaling enough to stress your heart, a pharmacologic stress test that uses a medication is a good alternative. Through a vein in your arm, you receive a medication that causes your heart to work harder to mimic the effects of exercise. Either type of stress test may be combined with different imaging tests that help reveal if you have blood flow problems in your heart. Each type of test carries a small risk of causing a heart attack.
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