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By Mayo Clinic staffYou may be asked not to eat, drink or smoke for two hours or more before an exercise stress test. You can take your medications as usual, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
If you use an inhaler for asthma or other breathing problems, bring it with you to the test. Make sure your doctor and the health care team member monitoring your stress test know that you use an inhaler.
Wear or bring comfortable clothes with you to the exercise stress test.
References
- Toth PP, et al. Cardiovascular disease. In: Rakel RE. Textbook of Family Medicine. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-1160-8..10047-8--s0095&isbn=978-1-4377-1160-8&sid=1213849808&uniqId=285136248-6#4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-1160-8..10047-8--s0095. Accessed Nov. 1, 2011.
- Weiner DA. Advantages and limitations of different stress testing modalities. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 1, 2011.
- Stress testing. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/stress/stress_whatis.html. Accessed Nov. 1, 2011.
- Nuclear heart scan. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/nscan/nscan_all.html. Accessed Nov. 1, 2011.
- Yanowitz FG. Performance of exercise ECG testing. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 1, 2011.
- Papaioannou GI, et al. Exercise radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging in the diagnosis and prognosis of coronary heart disease. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 1, 2011.
- Grogan M (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 8, 2011.
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