Exercise ElectrocardiogramTest Overview
An exercise electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG)
is a test that checks for changes in your heart while you exercise. Sometimes
EKG abnormalities can be seen only during exercise or while symptoms are
present. This test is sometimes called a "stress test" or a "treadmill test."
During an exercise EKG, you may either walk on a motor-driven treadmill or
pedal a stationary bicycle. The
heart  is a muscular pump made up of
four chambers . The two upper chambers are called atria, and the two lower
chambers are called ventricles. A natural electrical system causes the heart
muscle to contract and pump blood through the heart to the lungs and the rest
of the body. See a picture of the
heart and its electrical system . An exercise EKG translates the
heart's electrical activity into line tracings on paper. The spikes and dips in
the line tracings are called waves. See a picture of the
EKG components and intervals . A resting EKG is always done
before an exercise EKG test, and results of the resting EKG are compared to the
results of the exercise EKG. A resting EKG may also show a heart problem that
would make an exercise EKG unsafe.
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