Choosing an Appropriate Heart Test

If you have a family history of heart disease, there are many tests to help you determine exactly what is happening to this vital organ.

Whether it is an exercise stress test on a treadmill or a cardio PET scan, it can be difficult to know the best measure for your heart health. The answer: If you have chest pain or a rapidly worsening chest ailment, it is important to be evaluated in the emergency room. If you have stable angina, on the other hand, you can be evaluated in a clinic or a doctor’s office. Often doctors leverage an exercise treadmill stress test to start, using PET scanning farther down in the process. For more on this topic, go to the Mayo Clinic.