Cardiolite Stress Test

Your doctor has recommended that you have a cardiolite stress test. This test will allow more accurate evaluation of the condition of your heart and help your doctor decide what treatment is best for you.

The information below is intended to answer some of the questions you may have about the cardiolite stress test. Please contact your doctor about anything that you do not understand or would like more information about.

Your Heart and Coronary Artery Disease
To better understand why your doctor has recommended a cardiolite stress test, it is important to understand something about your heart and the arteries that supply it with oxygen.

Your heart is an amazing pumping machine that is responsible for supplying all the organs in your body with blood that contains oxygen and other life-giving nutrients they need to stay healthy. To do its job, your heart must to receive a sufficient supply of blood and oxygen through a special network of blood vessels called the coronary arteries.

The inner walls of the coronary arteries are normally smooth, allowing blood to flow through them easily. Over time, however, a condition called coronary artery disease can develop in which fats and other materials carried in the bloodstream begin to adhere to the artery walls. When these materials build up, they become a substance known as plaque, which narrows or blocks the arteries and restricts blood flow. As a result, the heart may not receive the oxygen it needs to perform the work it is being called upon to do.

Why do I need a cardiolite stress test?
The cardiolite stress test will help your physician determine whether your coronary arteries have become narrowed or blocked as a result of coronary artery disease. Results from the test will assist your doctor in selecting the best course of treatment.

How do I prepare for the test?

• Do not use nicotine products or consume caffeine on the day of the test.
• Do not eat for four hours before the first part of the test. If you are diabetic, you may have clear liquids. (You may return to your normal diet and eating patterns following the first part of the test.)
• You may continue taking your medications as prescribed.
• Wear a comfortable two-piece outfit and supportive exercise shoes.

What will happen on the day of the test?
The cardiolite stress test is a two-part test. Each part of the exam takes approximately one and one-half hours to complete and is performed on a separate day.

When undergoing a cardiolite stress test, remember that the doctor performing the exam is also there to answer any questions you may have. During the test, the physician and technologists present will monitor your heart, using a machine called an electrocardiograph (EKG). Electrodes connected to the electrocardiograph machine will be placed on your chest to enable this monitoring.

A needle with a plastic tube attached to it, called an intravenous or IV line, will be placed in your arm. Cardiolite will be administered directly through the IV line. Cardiolite is a radioactive isotope used for imaging. It is not a dye or drug.

The amount of radioactivity received from the cardiolite is equivalent to some x-ray procedures, such as barium enemas. When the test is over, the IV line will be removed and there will be no side effects.

Once the IV line is in place, you will be asked to walk on a treadmill. While you are on the treadmill, the doctor and technologist will frequently ask how you are feeling and how much longer you are able to walk. When you and the doctor determine that you will need to stop walking in about a minute, the cardiolite will be injected into your IV line. You will continue to walk for one minute. The treadmill will be slowed to a stop and you will be assisted to a chair.

You will then be taken to the Nuclear Medicine Department where a special camera that detects cardiolite will take pictures (images) of your heart. After imaging is complete, the technologist will give you a time at which to return the following day for a second set of pictures. You may then leave the Nuclear Medicine Department.

Upon your return, you will be given another injection of cardiolite and asked to sit in the waiting room for approximately 45 minutes to an hour. You will then be escorted to the camera area and asked to lie on a table with your left arm over your head. Another set of pictures will be taken of your heart at rest.

By comparing the second set of pictures with those taken earlier, your doctor will be better able to evaluate your condition. The results of your test will be mailed to your physician within 5 to 7 work days.

Reducing your Risk for Heart Disease

• Don't smoke
• Have your blood pressure checked regularly
• Reduce your intake of fats and cholesterol
• Maintain your ideal weight
• Exercise regularly according to your physician's guidelines

Inquiries
Our goal is to provide you with excellent care. If you have any questions or comments, please contact:

Jan Duval, RN
Coordinator, Heart Station
847-723-5480