Q: Can You Have a Heart Attack After a Normal Stress Test?
A: A stress test is a non-invasive procedure that measures your heart function while you walk on a treadmill. It tells your physician how well your heart handles work.
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A stress test can be useful if you’re already experiencing symptoms of coronary artery disease. It may provide further evidence that indicates blood flow to the heart is reduced because of a blockage from fatty deposits in the arteries called plaque.
Stress tests can detect when arteries have 70% or more blockage. This severe narrowing is what causes the severe chest pain called angina.
But normal results from a stress test do not rule out the possibility of a future heart attack. This is because a plaque can still rupture, form clots and block an artery. Heart attacks often result from these smaller blockages that rupture.
— Cardiologist Benico Barzilai, MD
