Definition of Exercise cardiac treadmill

Exercise cardiac treadmill: A machine used to obtain a continuous electrocardiogram (EKG, ECG) recording of the heart as a patient performs increasing levels of exercise. An exercise cardiac treadmill permits the detection of abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) and provides a screening test for the presence of narrowed arteries of the heart (coronary arteries). Narrowing of these arteries can limit the supply of oxygenated blood to the heart muscle during exercise.