If you ever have to take a cardiac stress test

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Yep. My cardiologist requires it once per year, in conjunction with a treadmill stress test.

Heart attack and 6 stents three years ago. Stress test 6 months later and then once per year following. The last test I took actually showed "better numbers" than the previous.

Stress test 2010: $4800
Stress test 2011: $5600

We're grateful for medical insurance!

If I wasn't stressed by the test, I would certainly be stressed by the bill.

 

[Smith357]

Having a few problems so cardiologist set up stress test that I took today. The last one of these I took, you had to get wired up, get on treadmill and get the heart pumping to the rate they want or have a heart attack, whichever comes first.

The one I took today is called a PET/CT cardiac stress test. It took all of 15 minutes from beginning to end. You are first injected with a tracer, run through a CT scanner lying flat on your back. You are then injected with a drug that actually dilates your blood vessels and you are scanned again.Dilation lasts about 6 minutes.

I highly recommend this test. I felt absolutely nothing, heart rate only went up about 10 beats per minute and your blood pressure actually goes down.

Not only is it easy to take but is compared to 98% accuracy vs 75% accuracy in treadmill test. Trinity hospital is the only one in my area that offers it so not sure if it is available everywhere.

Just thought I would let ya'll know.

The downside of the easy test is they charged my insurance company $7,000.00, and then 4 months after the test said I was fine, I had a heart attack and needed triple bypass surgery to correct the blockages not founds by the expensive drug induced stress test.

 

[truckemup97]

The downside of the easy test is they charged my insurance company $7,000.00, and then 4 months after the test said I was fine, I had a heart attack and needed triple bypass surgery to correct the blockages not founds by the expensive drug induced stress test.

Did you eat nothing but bacon for that four months?

Seriously, I'm glad you guys and gals are taking care of yourselves.

 

[wbraswell]

The moral to the story is: See your doctor and dentist regularly. It doesn't make you less of a man, and you may live to be an onerey old fart. (Quite an honorable accomplishment.)

 

[LouisianaJoe]

I did a treadmill test when I was 59. The doctor told me that I had the heart of a 20 year old. I told the doctor "That is nice but the rest of me is 59!".

Last year, at the age of 66, I did the test that used an injection. My knees will no longer let me do the treadmill. My heart is still OK but my butt is too big.

 

[Doug M.]

205? Good lord.

I train hard; not as much as I used to, but more than most 52 YO office dweebs. I try to get at least 4 sessions of 40+ minutes of hard cardio weekly, plus weights. An hour a day at least 5 days of cardio, plus weights, is much better. Had two stress tests for reasons that turned out not to be my ticker, passed them well.

It's the only body we get, and I plan to stay here and be a pain in the tush to people who need it as long as I can.

 

[Smith357]

Did you eat nothing but bacon for that four months?

Pretty much, with some biscuits and gravy too. But I work at Bob Evans Corporate and the test kitchen is chocked full of fresh viddles, none of them are healthy, could be why they taste so darn good.

 

[357larry]

I have not been to my cardiologist in several years. After my second treadmill stress test I told him there would be no more. If he wants to see how my ticker is doing he can get me a hot young blonde and a hotel room.