After the test, the patient is usually advised that he or she can eat, drink and resume normal activities immediately. The physician may then offer the patient a preliminary report and will usually provide a complete report within a day or two.

Some patients may experience mild to moderate chest pain (angina), tiredness, muscle aches and shortness of breath (dyspnea) after the test.

Overall, exercise stress test results are very accurate, depending on the patient and the variety of stress text. However, results can be affected by any of the following:

Women are more likely than men to be told that their exercise stress test was abnormal when no problem was actually present (a false-positive result).

Based on the results, the physician may order additional testing, such as a nuclear stress test. A more invasive procedure such as a cardiac catheterization may also be ordered.