I’m Nervous About My Pulmonary Stress Test: What Can I Expect?

If you have a pulmonary stress test scheduled, you may feel a little nervous about what to expect. Are you asking questions like, “What will happen? Will the test be uncomfortable? What will it tell me about my lungs?”

At Respacare in Bridgewater, New Jersey, our pulmonologists perform pulmonary stress tests regularly and understand your concerns and questions. We’re here to walk you through the process so you can feel prepared and relaxed going into the test. 

Why do I need testing?

A pulmonary stress test, also called a cardiopulmonary stress test, measures how well air moves in and out of your lungs during physical stress. 

You might benefit from testing if you’re experiencing signs and symptoms of a breathing disorder, such as coughing, shortness of breath, or wheezing. 

It’s also done to evaluate heart and lung function before surgery, giving your surgeon and anesthesiologist valuable information so they can adjust your procedure to improve outcomes. 

Pulmonary stress test — what to expect

The pulmonary stress test measures how efficiently your lungs take in oxygen and remove carbon dioxide during exercise. It also evaluates your heart rate, blood pressure, and blood oxygen levels.

Here’s what to expect during the in-office test:

Step one: pulmonary function test

Before the exercise portion, we perform a pulmonary function test (PFT), using a spirometer to measure the amount of air you can breathe in and out. You sit comfortably in a chair and breathe in and out as hard as possible into the device to evaluate lung capacity and airflow.

Step two: preparing to exercise

To get the data, we hook you to an electrocardiogram (EKG) to measure heart rate, an arm cuff to monitor blood pressure, a pulse oximeter to document blood oxygen, and a face mask to capture breathing.

Step three: exercise

Once prepped, you start the exercise portion of the test on a treadmill or stationary bike. You warm up for a few minutes, gradually increasing the intensity of the exercise. The goal is to exercise as hard as you can for as long as you can so we get the best results. This part of the test takes about 10 minutes.

While you might feel out of breath when exercising, our team closely monitors you to ensure safety and comfort.

What the results mean

Results from a pulmonary stress test are either normal or abnormal when compared to standard measures.

If your results are normal, we may recommend an exercise program to help you maintain lung health. If your results are abnormal, we may recommend additional testing to identify the underlying cause of your results.

We may also use results to monitor lung health improvements for our patients participating in pulmonary rehabilitation. 

If you have concerns about lung health or experience difficulty breathing, we can help. Call our office today or book an appointment online.