Health Tip: Preparing for a Stress Test

(HealthDay News) -- If your doctor has prescribed an exercise stress test to monitor how your heart performs during activity, there are a few things you should do before the test.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers these suggestions to help you prepare:

• For at least three hours prior to the stress test, don''t eat or smoke. And don''t drink anything that contains alcohol or caffeine.
• Do not use Viagra within 24 hours of the test. Nitroglycerin (sometimes given during a stress test) may interact with Viagra, resulting in a dangerous drop in blood pressure.
• Unless your doctor has instructed otherwise, take all of your other medications as you normally would.
• You''ll be exercising during the test, so wear appropriate clothing, including comfortable shoes or sneakers and loose workout clothes.
• For the test itself, electrodes that monitor your heart''s activity will be applied to your chest, and you will pedal, walk or run on a machine while your heart rate is monitored.

-- Diana Kohnle

Last Updated: Feb. 17, 2009

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