Who gets a nuclear stress test ?

[repeat]

I was asked to get nuclear stress test because I have high cholesterol and high blood pressure some timesl .

[Hidden]

If that is the same as the donut ring -- sorry I don't know the correct name -- then I'm down for it too. I was too nervous for an angiogram and fortunately for me my cardiologist was very sympathetic and said he would arrange for me to have the test I've mentioned to have a look at my arteries that way. If they showed signs of ischaemia/narrowing then I would have to take statins and if necessary I might also have to go ahead and have an angiogram ..

[sandybrown in reply to Hidden]

Hello,

I learned something today!

What Is a Nuclear Heart Scan?

A nuclear heart scan is a test that provides important information about the health of your heart.

For this test, a safe, radioactive substance called a tracer is injected into your bloodstream through a vein. The tracer travels to your heart and releases energy. Special cameras outside of your body detect the energy and use it to create pictures of your heart.

Nuclear heart scans are used for three main purposes:

•To check how blood is flowing to the heart muscle. If part of the heart muscle isn't getting blood, it may be a sign of coronary heart disease (CHD). CHD can lead to chest pain called angina (an-JI-nuh or AN-juh-nuh), a heart attack, and other heart problems. When a nuclear heart scan is done for this purpose, it's called myocardial perfusion scanning.

•To look for damaged heart muscle. Damage might be the result of a previous heart attack, injury, infection, or medicine. When a nuclear heart scan is done for this purpose, it's called myocardial viability testing.

•To see how well your heart pumps blood to your body. When a nuclear heart scan is done for this purpose, it's called ventricular function scanning.

Usually, two sets of pictures are taken during a nuclear heart scan. The first set is taken right after a stress test, while your heart is beating fast.

During a stress test, you exercise to make your heart work hard and beat fast. If you can't exercise, you might be given medicine to increase your heart rate. This is called a pharmacological (FAR-ma-ko-LOJ-ih-kal) stress test.

The second set of pictures is taken later, while your heart is at rest and beating at a normal rate.

Good luck to both of you, could you please post your experience after your heart scan. Thanks.

[repeat in reply to sandybrown]

Thank you so much for information . I will let you know when and if I have it done.

Thank you again, Ritan

[KCTommy in reply to Hidden]

Sounds familiar - I had an angiogram. After congratulating me on the clear state of my arteries, my cardiologist wrote to my GP asking her to put me on 40mg of statin per day. On challenging this, she (my GP) reduced the dosage to 10mg/day. Unperturbed, I asked how this would be monitored; i.e. another angiogram etc.......I'm still awaiting a satisfactory reply.

[Hidden in reply to KCTommy]

I was told by my cardiologist that if my arteries were clear no statins would be necessary, no more treatment, nothing. But if they showed even a little furring up I would definitely have to go on to statins. I'm relocating in two weeks so now I will have to register with yet another hospital and wait at least another 6 months for my heart scan. Incidently why did you need an angiogram KCTommy? Well done though that they were clear!

[Hidden]

Oh........so why am I having the condition of my arteries shown via the donut then?? Surely a scan like that is just as good as a nuclear test with dye? Maybe even less intrusive??

[loretta1106]

I have aps and had stroke a year ago which required a cardiology follow up which i had in april 2015. I had a follow up echo at that visit and he recommended a nuclear stress test which wasn't as bad as i thought it would be, relieved my fear of thinking there might be some damage to my heart from the stroke. I luve in manhattan Did you have the test and are you in the Us?