Whether you’re trying to figure out what’s causing concerning symptoms (like heart palpitations), or you just want to check that your current treatment is working as intended, you’ll likely need to have a few tests.
Thankfully, you can measure the health of your heart without surgery or invasive testing. Three non-invasive tests — stress test, echocardiograms, and electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) — can do just that.
And the best part? They’re all available here at Harlem Cardiology. Read on as Dr. Henock Saint-Jacques and our team explain what each of these tests measures and why you might need one.
Sometimes issues with your heart aren’t apparent when your heart is at rest. That’s where a stress test comes into the picture.
It’s no secret that physical activity — that includes walking your dog around the block, running to catch your bus, or running at the gym — can make your heart pump fast and hard. A heart stress test measures how well your heart functions during physical activity.
In other words, this test can reveal problems with blood flow or irregular rhythms that might be noticeable during exercise but not when you’re at rest.
Preparation for your test depends on which stress test you need. Dr. Saint-Jacques will let you know which type of stress tests you need:
During an exercise stress test, you either ride a stationary bike or jog on a treadmill. As you exercise, Dr. Saint-Jacques monitors your vitals, including your heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. To prepare for this stress test, you’ll need to wear athletic clothes and gym shoes.
When possible, exercise stress tests are preferred over pharmacological stress tests. That being said, if you’re unable to exercise, Dr. Saint-Jacque may give you a medication to mimic the effects of exercise on your heart without having to physically run on a treadmill.
If you need a nuclear stress test, a tracer (a radiopharmaceutical medication) is injected into your blood. This will help highlight areas of your heart during imaging. A special gamma camera captures images of your heart before and after your exercise. This can help show blood flow when you’re at rest and when you’re exercising. The stress induction for nuclear stress tests can be either exercise or pharmacologic. You’ll know ahead of time if this is the type of stress test you need.
Stress tests help diagnose coronary artery disease, assess the effectiveness of any current treatments, and help Dr. Saint-Jacques make recommendations for safe exercise.
An echocardiogram — often called simply an “echo” — uses ultrasound waves to create live images of your heart. This painless test provides a detailed view of your heart's size, shape, and motion.
You don’t need to prepare anything before an echocardiogram, but you will need to change into a gown. Once you’re ready, a technician applies a thin layer of warm gel (to help the sound wave travel better) and then places a handheld device (transducer) on your chest to capture images of your heart.
This is completely painless.
This test helps identify issues like heart valve problems, how well your heart pumps, abnormal heart function, and damage from heart attacks.
It’s a go-to test for evaluating heart failure and other structural conditions.
When you think EKG, think electricity. Electrical impulses keep your heart beating, and an EKG measures those impulses. It’s a quick and easy test that can detect abnormalities in your heart's rhythm and electrical pathways.
The Harlem Cardiology team places small electrodes on your chest, arms, and legs to record your heart's activity over a few minutes. Just like the echocardiogram, this test is also painless.
Tip: If removing the sticky patches tugs at chest hair, try warming and wetting the patches first. This softens the adhesive, making them easier to peel off without discomfort.
EKGs can identify arrhythmias, heart attacks, and other electrical disturbances. It’s often the first test done when heart issues are suspected.
Each of these noninvasive tests provides different insights into your heart health without requiring surgery or complex procedures. Whether used individually or together, they help Dr. Saint-Jacque diagnose conditions early, monitor ongoing issues, and develop a personalized treatment plan.
To learn more or to schedule an appointment in our East Harlem, New York, office, call 646-381-2181 or click to get started.
