Treadmill testing is used by doctors to measure the amount of blood your heart pumps through your arteries during activity. This helps doctors determine if you have any blockages or other risk factors for heart disease. Your blood pressure and heart rate are closely monitored as your treadmill exercise is progressively increased to make your heart pump faster. Once completed, your doctor must interpret all the information the treadmill test provides to determine your overall heart health.
Step 1
Record the patient's time on the treadmill at each interval. The treadmill incline and speed are increased every three minutes for the duration of the test. The time recorded is found by the start time of the test and the time the patient felt fatigued, unable to move forward.
Step 2
Multiply the patient's ST segment deviation by five. The ST segment deviation refers to the time when EKG readings show the patient's baseline rate. This is due to polarization of the heart's ventricals. Use millimeters when recording the ST segment deviation to get accurate results.
Step 3
Multiply any cardiac abnormalities by four. These are also known as the angina index and record any abnormalities such as excess rapid heart rate or skipped beats. A zero indicates no angina present while a one indicates non-limiting angina. A two indicates exercise limited angina requiring further testing and evaluation.
Step 4
Subtract the patient's time from your ST segment deviation answer. Subtract this sum from the answer to your angina index. A score of below four means minimal risk of cardiovascular disease, four through 10 indicates a moderate risk of cardiovascular disease and above 10 indicates a high risk with more extensive measures needed to correct the situation.
References
- "British Medical Journal"; Interpreting Exercise Treadmill Test Needs Scoring System; S K S Lairikyengbam, et al.; Aug. 24, 2002
- American Heart Association: Exercise Stress Test
- Sports Fitness Advisor: The Bruce Treadmill Test
- McGill University: ST Segment Deviation
- American Physical Therapy Association: Angina Index
