The Nuclear Cardiology Stress Test

1. Wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes (rubber-soled are best).
2. Do not eat for a minimum of 4 hours before the test. If your appointment is in the morning, do not eat after midnight the night before your test.
3. Drinking water is allowed before the test.
4. If you are diabetic, juice is allowed in the morning with insulin (1/2 dose).
5. Do not drink caffeine (coffee or tea) the day of the test.
6. If your doctor ordered a nuclear stress test involving the injection of a radioisotope, please let us know if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
7. Because of the high cost of the radioisotope used in the test, please call 24 hours before your appointment if you need to cancel or reschedule.
8. Stop taking all medications, including beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, nitrates and dijoxin 24 hours prior to your test, unless directed otherwise by your doctor. If you have any questions regarding the medications you are taking, call (512) 334-7850.
9. You should plan on being at the Nuclear Studies Department for a minimum of 120 minutes.

Our clinical team will connect you to three monitors:

• Electrocardiogram or EKG: Attached to several sticky electrode patches placed onto your chest. Provides a picture on graph paper of the electrical impulses traveling through your heart.
• Oximeter monitor: Attached to a small clip on your finger. Checks the oxygen level of your blood.
• Blood pressure monitor: Connected to a blood pressure cuff on your arm. Checks your blood pressure intermittently throughout the study.

These monitors allow the doctor to check your heart rhythm and the body's responses to arrhythmias.