MODEL RELEASED. Stress test. Man discussing the printed results of a stress test with a doctor. The test involved him pedalling on an exercise bicycle. Electrocardiograph electrodes on his chest monitored his heart, while the cuff around his arm measured his blood pressure. Stress tests reveal how fit a patient is by monitoring the response of the heart to continuous strenuous exercise. For example, a healthy heart speeds up less during exercise than an unhealthy heart, and returns to its normal rate more quickly. Stress tests are often used to assess the recovery of heart attack victims.