Question 62 of 433
Should a healthy person have a stress test, an echocardiogram, or a yearly ECG?
The short answer
Generally no. They are excellent tests for people with symptoms and poor screening tests for people without.
A stress test finds blockages severe enough to limit blood flow, usually 70 percent or more. Most heart attacks come from smaller plaques that crack open. So a normal stress test does not mean clean arteries. An apparently reassuring exercise phase does not make the rest of the assessment irrelevant; symptoms, recovery tracings, and the clinical context still matter. A trial of screening echocardiograms found no benefit. The exceptions are people starting vigorous exercise with risk factors, certain occupations, or a concerning family history.
“This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship.” From the book’s medical disclaimer. Full disclaimer
GUIDELINE-BASED — Asymptomatic low-risk adults: routine ECG, stress-test, and echo screening lack demonstrated net benefit.Evidence grade (draft mapping)GGuideline-based / consensusPart 5, Q62 · Part sources
From Longevity Unmasked by Afshine Ash Emrani, MD, FACC. Medical disclaimer. This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship. Nothing here is meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Medicine is personal: a test, drug, supplement, or exercise plan that helps one person can harm another. Do not start, stop, or change any medication or treatment because of something you read in these pages. Talk with a licensed clinician who knows your history first. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911. The author disclaims responsibility for any loss or harm arising from use of the information in this book.