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Stress echocardiography - Risks

Alternative Names

Echocardiography stress test; Stress test - echocardiography

What the risks are:

The risks are very low, and health care professionals will monitor you during the entire procedure. Rare complications include abnormal heart rhythm, heart attack, and collapse.

Special considerations:

The main benefit is that a stress echocardiogram is a very effective, noninvasive test that can help determine whether you have blockages in your coronary arteries and if so, how serious the problem is. Early diagnosis and monitoring of heart disease allows treatment to begin early.

Heart, section through the middle

Heart, front view

Reviewed last on: 9/3/2008
Larry A. Weinrauch MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Cardiovascular Disease and Clinical Outcomes Research, Watertown, MA.. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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