A heart treadmill, used by physicians to determine their patients' heart health, is not always an accurate cardiac problem indicator, according to some studies.

While a heart treadmill can tell if men with no current heart difficulties may be destined for cardiovascular episodes somewhere in their future, it may not be a good test of heart troubles in women. Because the heart-related events for these women are so few statistics cannot be considered meaningful.

Tests using a heart treadmill are not usually conducted by doctors for patients who are asymptomatic of heart problems, in any case. One reason for this is that insurance carriers will not reiumburse a patient for these charges if her doctor sees no cardiac symptoms.

A heart treadmill is used by physicians to indicate how a patient's heart acts during exercise. While a patient undergoes stress tests on a heart treadmill she or he is hooked up to electrodes. These are connected to devices called leads which are connected to an EKG (electrocardiogram) and a monitor, that delivers a printed as well as visual look at the patient's hearts' reaction to the exercise.

To prepare for a heart treadmill exercise tests you must avoid food or beverage for four hours prior to the testing. You are then hooked up to the electrodes as well as a blood pressure cuff. A heart treadmill is not the only way to conduct the stress test, however. Though the most common, exercise bikes are the alternate choice. During the test the treadmill's speed and incline will increase gradually - generally every 2-3 minutes - and the patients' heart and blood pressure reaction to the increase is monitored.