What is the goal of stress testing on a treadmill?

The primary goal of stress testing on a treadmill is to observe how the heart handles stress, particularly during physical exertion. During the test, the patient walks on a treadmill, and the intensity of exercise is gradually increased to elevate the heart rate. This allows healthcare providers to monitor the heart's response to increased workload, evaluating its function and efficiency.

Stress testing can help identify various cardiac issues, such as ischemic heart disease, as it reveals how well blood flows to the heart muscle during exercise. Additionally, it can indicate how other factors, such as blood pressure and heart rhythm, respond to physical stress. The information gathered from this type of testing is crucial for diagnosing heart conditions and determining appropriate treatment plans.

Weight loss and relaxation through exercise, as mentioned in other choices, are not primary objectives of treadmill stress testing. While exercise might contribute to weight management and may have a calming effect, these outcomes are secondary and not the focus of a clinical stress test. Assessing blood pressure at rest is also outside the central purpose of the treadmill stress test, as the goal is to evaluate the heart's performance under stress rather than at rest.