You've been booked for a cardiac stress test and you're scared silly. Relax. Been there, done that. It's okay.

I will tell you all about the cardiac stress test your doctor has ordered. This simple, easy and painless procedure will expose any secrets that your heart may be hiding from you, possibly fatal ones.

You remember what the doctor said but, somehow, you are not reassured. Are they going to cut you open? Wouldn't it just be simpler for you to go home and cut down on the beer and pizza? What if something "shows up"?

You rarely hear of people suffering heart attacks in their sleep. Cardiac events usually occur when a person is walking, shoveling snow or exerting themselves somehow. Road rage also wreaks havoc on the heart as well as on the mind.

To properly assess your heart, it must be made to work a bit. This tells the whole story. This is why you often hear of people having heart attacks when they are doing something.

Blood pressure has two readings. The first one is called the systollic pressure and measures the maximum pressure of your blood. The second number gives the pressure between beats. 140/90 is considered normal.

If there are hints of problems like chest pains, dizziness, abnormal blood flow, unusual sounds coming from your heart or the arteries in your neck or groin, obesity, shortness of breathe and high blood pressure (hypertension is the medical term), your doctor may elect to order a stress test for you.

A stress test is ordered when you have high blood pressure or you experience dizziness, chest pains or other symptoms. Maybe he or she has detected unusual sounds coming from your heart. There are all kinds of reasons for a stress test. All of them are good.

Unlike a broken bone, heart problems can hide right near the surface of your life and you could be totally unaware of it. Using the cardiac stress test, kind, well trained technicians put your body through its paces a bit so that any problems will stick out like a sore thumb. Don't worry, they are not going to make you run the Iron Man contest.

A treadmill is used. You are connected painlessly to a machine that monitors every aspect of your heart including blood oxygen levels, heartbeat, blood pressure and other things.

Slowly, the technicians will make you work a little harder all the while watching your vitals signs like a hawk. Their goal is to make your heart work a little harder and, if it is hiding any secrets, force it to reveal them before you find out the hard way that there are problems.

If your cardiac stress test reveals any problems, you and your doctor can work out an action plan, whether it involves medication, finding ways to relieve stress in your life, surgery, change of lifestyle or whatever. Your medical professional will suggest some treatments like prescribing stop smoking aids if you smoke. Smoking does raise your blood pressure. Make sure your doctor knows where you can get self help for anxiety, also.

A cardiac stress test is one of those rare situations in life that are win-win. If there is a silent killer lurking in you, it'll find it. If you are healthy, you can click your heels as you leave the office.