Treadmill vs. Chemical Stress Test
Chemical induced stress tests offer a way of increasing and decreasing heart rate and other bodily functions without the person moving or exerting any form of physical activity or stress. The chemicals that are often used during these types of stress tests can have side effects. Although they are effective at stimulating the heart and other organs to function at a faster or slower rate, their use can be hard on the body, especially the heart. Treadmills can provide the exertion needed for a physical stress test without overtaxing the body. Adjusted to the lowest settings and carefully monitoring the patients condition during the test, will often times provide the doctor with a more accurate reading than anything a chemical stress test can produce.
Sources:
http://www.heartsite.com/html/chemical_stress.html
http://www.mountsinai.org/patient-care/health-library/treatments-and-procedures/chemical-stress-test
http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/nuclear-stress-test/basics/definition/prc-20012978
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/12/04/chemical-stress-test.aspx
