Opening September 2026
Stress Echocardiogram on the Gold Coast
01The test
Imaging Combined With Exercise Testing
A stress echocardiogram combines two investigations into one appointment: ultrasound images of the heart taken at rest, then repeated immediately after controlled exertion. Comparing the two sets shows how the heart's walls move under load rather than only how they move at rest. At Nuevo Medical, stress echocardiography on the Gold Coast will be performed in the cardiology suite, in the same room equipped for stress testing. Running both together means the imaging happens at the point it needs to, within moments of peak exertion. It's a more detailed study than a cardiac stress test alone. Call 0417 426 825 to enquire.
02The structure
How the Study Is Structured
The appointment runs as a sequence, and the timing between stages is part of the method.
- 01
Resting images
A complete echocardiographic study is captured before any exertion. This is the comparison set everything else is read against.
- 02
Exercise stage
Workload increases in stages on a treadmill or exercise bike, with rhythm and blood pressure monitored throughout. Staff supervise the entire period.
- 03
Immediate post-exercise imaging
Images are captured within a short window after peak exertion, which is why you move quickly from the treadmill to the bed. The timing matters to the interpretation.
- 04
Reporting
A cardiologist compares wall motion between the resting and post-exercise images. Findings are discussed at a follow-up consultation.
03The comparison
Why the Two Image Sets Are Compared
The interpretation rests on the difference between the two studies rather than either one alone. Your cardiologist examines whether every segment of the heart wall moves as expected at rest, then whether each still does so after exertion, since a segment behaving normally at rest may behave differently under load. This is why the post-exercise images have to be captured quickly and why the appointment is structured the way it is. Preparation is similar to a standard stress test: comfortable clothing, closed shoes and whatever medication instructions your cardiologist has given you individually. Allow more time than for a resting study, as the appointment covers two complete imaging sets plus the exercise stage. Results are reviewed with you at a subsequent consultation.
04Questions
FAQs
A standard stress test records the electrical trace, blood pressure and symptoms during exertion, while a stress echocardiogram adds ultrasound imaging before and immediately after. The addition of imaging answers questions the trace alone cannot.
Capturing usable images while someone is exerting on a treadmill is impractical, so the protocol relies on imaging within a short window after peak exertion. The narrow timing is why the appointment is organised around moving quickly between stages.
It generally takes longer than either a resting echocardiogram or a stress test alone, because it includes both plus the exercise stage. The practice will advise the expected duration when the appointment is made.
05Enquiries
Speak with the team
Opening September 2026
- Phone
- 0417 426 825