A cardiac stress test, otherwise called a treadmill test, is a diagnostic test used to determine the effects of exercise on the heart; to detect abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) and diagnose the presence or absence of coronary artery disease.
For this test, the patient is required to walk on a treadmill while having the electrical activity of their heart monitored. As the test progresses, the speed and incline of the treadmill increases. The results will show how well the patient’s heart responds to the stress of different levels of exercise.