When the ECG is obtained on a heart that is working harder due to exercise or medication-induced stress, the test is called an exercise ECG, or "stress test." This test is useful in detecting problems that may not be apparent while the heart is at rest.

An exercise echocardiogram, also known as a stress echocardiogram, is a test that combines an ultrasound study of the heart with an exercise test. The test allows evaluation of how the heart functions when it is made to work harder. The exercise echocardiogram is especially useful in diagnosing coronary artery disease, the presence of blockages in the coronary arteries (the vessels that supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart).