Lexiscan stress test becomes relevant when there’s a poor response or conditioning of the heart for those who can’t exercise or are unable to exercise. The use of lexiscan stress test among many other things may reveal some certain risks or confirm some symptoms of disease.
This article provides a comprehensive discussion on the use of lexiscan stress test, what lexiscan stress test mean, why it’s used, who is required to perform the lexiscan stress test, the instrument used and some side effects that are attributed to the medical process.
What Is Lexiscan Stress Test
The lexiscan stress test, also known as ‘Nuclear Sit Down Stress’ is a medical process that involves injecting a particular medication called lexiscan into a human’s IV in order to evaluate the perosn’s condition of coronary arteries. They are particularly designed to cater for this situation and the arteries made mention of are those that supply the heart itself with the needed blood.
What Is Lexiscan Injection: Lexiscan injection is a stress agent that is injected into a human’s IV to increase the blood flow in the arteries of the heart. This is given in preparation for a radiologic (x-ray) examination of blood flow through the heart to test for coronary artery disease.
Mostly, lexiscan stress test are advised and used when the cardiologist perceive that the person may not be able to walk to an appropriate level of exercise or unable to exercise at all.
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This type of condition may be caused by may factors, that which will be further considered.
In the process of conducting the lexiscan stress tests, following the injection of the lexiscan medication, a special type of imager, a small amount of radioactive tracer are also injected into the blood in order to take a picture of the heart muscle.
Noteworthy, the pictures of the heart muscle are taken before and after the injection of the lexiscan medication for proper comparison that would enable the cardiologist to determine whether or not there’s a major backages to the arteries.
Aside this, it could also reveal whether there’s a damage to the heart muscle after a heart attack and to determine the treatment and medication necessary for proper recovery and needed corrections.
Treatment Options Following The Lexiscan Stress Test
There are several treatment options that are available or be considered following the adoption of lexiscan, this may range from normal medications, change in lifestyle, dieting or other cardiac procedure .
Relevance Of Using Lexiscan Stress Test
The lexiscan medication is intended to replace the physical act of exercise in which a person is unable to do, and to further elicit the same response from the body that is expected of when the person is ordinarily doing an exercise.
Lexiscan medication also allows the opportunity to detect any major backages or medical conditions that are related to the arteries or heart muscles.
For proper comparison of the arteries before and after taking the pictures.
Reasons For Using The Lexiscan Stress Test
A cardiologist may recommend the lexiscan stress tests based on variety of reasons. Here are few of the visible reasons for such consideration.
- Lexiscan stress test may be used in order to confirm the symptoms or signs suggestive of coronary artery disease (CAD) such as chest pain, shortness of breath.
- It may also be recommended due to some certain significant risk factors for CAD such as smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol
- To access a patient’s condition after a cardiac procedure such as bypass surgery or coronary angioplasty
- And lastly, clearance for certain surgeries that are determined to be of intermediate to high risk
How Long Does It Takes For The Lexiscan Stress Test
The lexiscan stress stress is expected to long long within the range of 10-15 minutes.
Who Performs The Lexiscan Stress Test
Lexiscan stress test is expected to be performed by a specially trained imaging technologist who is skilled in the use of radioactive drugs. The process is also expected to be supervised by a nurse, nurse practitioner or assistants.
The Instruments Used For Lexiscan Stress Test
To perform a lexiscan stress test, the imaging technologist use a machine called Gamma Camera. The Gamma Camera is yes to capture the images of the heart necessary for the necessary medical determination or recommendation afterwards.
This detects the injected tracer in the heart muscle and transfers it to a computer. The computer processes these images into thin slices so that the doctor can look at blood flow into your heart muscle.
Side Effects Of Lexiscan Stress Test
The following are some of the common side effects after the injection of the lexiscan injection:
It may cause headache, dizziness, nausea, stomach discomfort, decreased sense of taste, mild chest discomfort, shortness of breath, or flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling under your skin).
It can also cause serious or fatal cardiac arrest, abnormal heart rhythms or heart attack. Other allergic reactions that are likely to occur after Lexiscan injection.
According to an article on Lexiscan.com, drugs such as Lexiscan may cause an increase or decrease in blood pressure, especially in patients with certain heart and blood vessel disorders
