Stress Echo Test: Price, Purpose, Procedure, Result [2025]
The stress echo test stands for the Stress echocardiography test. During the test, an echocardiography test is done while running on the treadmill. The echo stress test evaluates the functioning of the heart under stress conditions. Its cost ranges from Rs 3000 to Rs 5000 in India.
This procedure determines whether the heart and blood vessels are working properly. This physical examination determines how efficiently the heart of the patient functions when it pumps under intense running on the treadmill (TMT). In case of normal stress echo results and problems persist, the Doctor may recommend CT Coronary angiography for further examination.
What happens during Stress Echo?
During the stress echo process, a person exercises on a stationary bicycle or a treadmill while the doctor monitors the blood pressure and heart rhythm. An echocardiogram, the ultrasound study of the heart, evaluates the heart’s size, how strongly it pumps, and how well the valves are working.
When the heart rate reaches its peak, the doctor takes ultrasound images of the heart to determine if your heart muscles are getting enough blood and oxygen while you exercise. The Doctor prescribes a Dobutamine stress echo test to patients who can not perform exercise due to illness or other reasons.
Dobutamine Stress Echo Test
The ‘stress’ is usually triggered by an exercise on a treadmill. However, sometimes, you may not be able to run or exercise. Thus, a medicine, dobutamine helps to induce stress for the test. A doctor will inject the Dobutamine medicine into your veins. This will cause your heart to beat faster thus simulating the effects of an exercise. The rest of the procedure remains the same. Dobutamine Stress echo test price is usually higher and may cost Rs 1000 to Rs 1500 extra. Thus, it may cost you from Rs 4000 to Rs 6000 in India.
Stress Echo Test Price
Stress is a comparatively expensive test with limited availability. This to due to the lower test orders and lack of availability of treadmills, Echo machines and Cardiologists at a diagnostic centres. Usually, the cost starts at Rs 3600. The actual price would depend on the diagnostic centre and city.
The test is available from 21 diagnostic centres in India from Bookmerilab. You can avail of a discount from 20% to 50%.
| Diagnostic Lab | Price |
|---|---|
| Mahajan Imaging | Rs 5400 |
| Janta X-Ray Clinic | Rs 4125 |
| City X-Ray | Rs 4770 |
| House of Diagnostics | Rs 2900 |
| Dr Lal Pathlabs | Not Available |
| Aarthi Scan | Rs 6000 (tentative) |
| Max Hospital | Rs 6000 (tentative) |
| Apollo Hospital | Rs 6000 (tentative) |
| NM Medical | Rs 6000 (tentative) |
| Prima Diagnostics | Rs 6000 (tentative) |
| Suraksha Diagnostics | Rs 6000 (tentative) |
| Vijaya Diagnostics | Rs 6000 (tentative) |
Following is the price list of the Stress Echo tests in different cities.
| City | Price |
|---|---|
| Stress Echo test cost in Delhi | Rs 3600 to Rs 5400 |
| Stress Echo test cost in Gurgaon | Rs 4370 to Rs 5400 |
| Stress Echo test cost in Mumbai | Rs 3000 |
| Stress Echo test cost in Chennai | Rs 3000 to Rs 5000 |
| Stress Echo test cost in Kolkata | Rs 2500 to Rs 4500 |
| Stress Echo test cost in Hyderabad | Rs 3200 to Rs 5000 |
| Stress Echo test cost in Pune | Rs 3500 to Rs 5500 |
Purpose of the Stress Echo
Your doctor may prescribe you this test in case of the following indications:
- This test gives an idea of how much exercise a person can safely perform if the patient is in cardiac rehabilitation.
- Doctors recommend a stress echocardiography test if a person has chest pain that may be due to coronary artery disease or heart attack (myocardial infarction).
- The test also measures the efficacy of heart disease treatments such as angioplasty as well as bypass grafting to figure out if anti-anginal or antiarrhythmic medications are effective or not.
Mostly, your doctor will prescribe this test when either she is suspecting a heart condition or as a follow-up test to results from other investigations. Some common prior tests are
- Lipid Profile (Cholesterol)
- 2D Echo test
- TMT Test
2D Echo Vs Stress Echo Test
A stress echo test is also a 2D echo or echocardiography or doppler echo test under stress conditions. The only difference between the two is in exercise or stress. Your doctor is the best judge of the suitably of one for you depending on your clinical conditions.
Risks Associated With the Test
The test for the heart is usually safe and non-invasive. Complications do not usually occur but may cause.
- Fainting or dizziness in the patient.
- An abnormal rate of heart rate in the patient undergoing the test.
- Heart attack in those patients who have a history of heart disease.
- Some harmless muscle twitching around the thorax occurs. This is not a cause for concern.
Preparations
This test usually occurs in the echo lab and takes between 45 and 60 minutes.
Before taking the test, you should do the following:
- Don’t drink or eat anything for three to four hours before the test.
- A patient shall avoid smoking on the test day of the test.
- Don’t take coffee or tea without the consultation of your health expert.
- The person shall not take certain heart medications and nitroglycerin before the stress echo test.
- You should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes and running shoes.
The Procedure For the Stress Echo
The step-wise procedure of stress echocardiography is as follows:
- The health expert will note down the patient’s blood pressure, heart rate, and electrocardiogram (ECG) before the test.
- The patient removes all the clothes and wears a hospital gown. The electrodes will be applied to the chest for monitoring of ECG signals.
- The sonographer will instruct you to lie on the left side of an exam table for performing a resting echocardiogram (also known as “echo”). The sonographer will put a transducer on your chest to view an outline of the heart’s movement.
- After the echo test, the patient exercise on a stationary bicycle or treadmill. The lab personnel will gradually increase the level of exercise. The patient is instructed to continue exercising until exhausted.
- Throughout the Stress Echo test, Patient monitoring will be performed. If a problem occurs, then the expert will immediately discontinue the test.
- Echocardiogram images will be recorded at different times throughout and after the exercise. A cardiologist will review the images and provide a specialist opinion, and a report shall be sent to the patient’s doctors for treatment.
Stress Echo Timings
The duration of the appointment is approximately 60 minutes. The actual exercise time is usually between 7 and 12 minutes.
Result
Stress echo test results can diagnose coronary artery disease and helps assess early heart attack risk. If the results are normal, the heart is working properly, and blood vessels are probably not blocked due to coronary artery disease.
Abnormal test results may signify that your heart is not pumping blood effectively because there is a blockage in your blood vessels.
Sample Stress Echo Lab Report
Below is a sample report for a stress test. This will indicate important parameters and observations by the cardiologist during the test. You should consult your prescribing physician with a report for further recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
The patients shall not eat or drink before the test for four hours except for water.
A thallium stress test is a radioactive and nuclear imaging test. It indicates how well blood flows into the heart while the person is at rest or exercising.
Usually no. It can not be performed at home.
Patients, especially diabetic and hypertension patients, shall not discontinue any medication without consulting their doctors.
References and Further Reading
- https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007150.htm
- https://www.healthline.com/health/stress-echocardiography
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/dobutamine-stress-echocardiogram
Dr Bhumika Rana
Dr Bhumika Rana is a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery (B.A.M.S.). Earlier She was an Operation Specialist at AIIMS Delhi & a Medical officer with the National health mission.