Stress Test Specialist
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David E. Auer, MD
Board Certified Family Medicine Physician & Aesthetics located in Westchase, Houston, TX
It’s important to know the status of your heart health. That’s why David E. Auer, MD, offers stress testing at his office in the Westchase area of Houston, Texas. With this relatively brief, noninvasive test, he gets a clear picture of how your heart performs when you’re exerting yourself. Whether you need a heart condition diagnosis or you want the most effective heart treatment possible, a stress test is a useful tool. Schedule your stress test by calling the office or booking your appointment online today.
Stress Test Q & A
What is a stress test?
A stress test gives Dr. Auer the opportunity to see how your heart performs when you’re exercising. It’s one thing to listen to your heart when you’re at rest. But it’s entirely another to see how your heart is working once you’ve exerted yourself enough to increase your heart rate.
As you exercise, your heart pumps blood harder and faster. Watching your heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure as you’re physically active gives Dr. Auer the opportunity to:
- Look for signs of coronary artery disease
- Check for arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)
- Determine if heart treatments are working properly
- Determine if cardiac surgery is necessary
Whether you think you may have a heart condition (if, for example, you’ve noticed your heart rhythm seems to be irregular) or you have a diagnosed condition and want to know if your current course of treatment is making a difference, a stress test could be right for you.
Dr. Auer helps you decide if a stress test is the right tool to assess the current state of your heart health. He also offers echocardiograms and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) testing to his patients.
What happens during a stress test?
Before your stress test, Dr. Auer talks with you about what to expect. He also listens to your heart and lungs to check for anything that could impact your stress test results.
Then, he attaches electrodes to your chest, legs, and arms. These are sticky pads that take electrocardiogram readings as you perform your stress test. You also wear a blood pressure cuff during the test.
Once the appropriate sensors are in place, you start your stress test by performing an activity that gets your heart rate up. The test will get progressively more challenging until you reach your target heart rate or you feel you can’t continue. Dr. Auer and his team prioritize your comfort during this test and work with you to ensure you’re never pushed past your limit as you exercise.
How do I prepare for a stress test?
Because you’ll be exercising, it’s important to wear good shoes and comfortable clothing to your stress test. There may also be specific parameters around your test. Dr. Auer will let you know if you can eat or drink beforehand.
To schedule your stress test, call David E. Auer, MD, or schedule an appointment online today.
