For what purpose is an echo stress test used?

An echocardiogram stress test, or an echo stress test, is completed to identify reduced blood flow in the heart, according to WebMD. The test may also be ordered to monitor an already known reduced blood flow problem.

Echocardiograms come in four different forms, according to WebMD. Besides an echo stress test, there are also doppler echocardiograms, transthoracic echo cardiograms and transesophageal echocardiograms. All of these types of echocardiograms view the different chambers of a patient's heart from different vantage points. They are all ultrasounds that produce images and videos of the heart for cardiologists to diagnose or monitor various heart conditions a patient may have.