Echocardiography uses ultrasound to see how the heart pumps; a treadmill test (TMT) checks how the heart copes with exercise. Both are painless, non-invasive tests.
Overview
An echocardiogram (echo) is an ultrasound scan of the heart. It shows the size of the heart chambers, how well the heart muscle pumps, and whether the valves open and close properly.
A treadmill test (TMT), also called an exercise stress test, records your ECG, heart rate and blood pressure while you walk on a treadmill at increasing speed and slope. It helps detect reduced blood supply to the heart that may not show up at rest.
Who needs this treatment?
- Chest pain, breathlessness, palpitations or unexplained tiredness
- Suspected heart valve disease or a heart murmur
- High blood pressure, diabetes or a family history of heart disease
- Follow-up after a heart attack, angioplasty or heart surgery
- Fitness check before starting strenuous exercise or as part of a health checkup
Benefits
- Painless and non-invasive; no needles for a routine echo
- Gives quick, reliable information to guide treatment
- No radiation is used in echocardiography
- TMT shows how your heart performs under real effort
How it is done
Before the procedure
For a TMT, wear comfortable clothes and walking shoes, avoid a heavy meal for two hours and ask your doctor whether to stop any heart medicines beforehand. No special preparation is needed for an echo.
During the procedure
For an echo, you lie on your left side while a gel-coated probe is moved over your chest; it takes about 20 to 30 minutes. For a TMT, ECG stickers are placed on your chest and you walk on a treadmill while the team monitors you. The test stops if you feel unwell or reach the target heart rate.
After the procedure
You can go home and resume normal activities straight away. The cardiologist will explain the results and any further tests needed.
Recovery and aftercare
There is no recovery time. If the TMT is abnormal, your doctor may advise further tests such as coronary angiography.
Frequently asked questions
It is generally safe and is done under the supervision of trained staff with emergency equipment at hand. Tell the team at once if you feel chest pain, dizziness or severe breathlessness during the test.
Not everyone. People who cannot walk on a treadmill or who have certain heart conditions may need a different test. Your doctor will decide which test suits you.
This page gives general information. Whether a treatment is right for you, and what it involves, depends on your condition; your doctor will explain the options after examining you.