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Treadmill Test Results



 Submitted by Medical Health Test Team on June 30, 2010
Treadmill Test Protocol

A treadmill is an exercise device that could also be used for a medical diagnosis procedure known as a stress test. A treadmill is equipped with a moving floor which can be adjusted to move at the speed that an individual wishes to walk, jog or run. A treadmill therefore allows an individual to walk without actually going anywhere. It has an advantage over walking in a park or the streets and that is a complete lack of obstacles. It is also useful when a particular speed and time is required to be followed by the person who is exercising. Most treadmills also feature a hill climbing mode where the resistance in the track and its angle is increased so that the individual needs more effort in order to walk the same distance. This mimics the effects of walking up a slope and provides increased exertion.

For medical purposes, the stress test is used as a way of inducing a rapid heart rate and respiration rate. Many conditions that affect these systems are dormant when the person is at rest or under moderate stress. When the heart and lungs are stressed to their limit, some abnormality may become obvious. A stress test is therefore used to simulate the effects of heavy exercise on the heart and to make any abnormality come to the surface.

A treadmill test uses the treadmill on jogging speed and has medical devices attached to the patient’s body. These are used to monitor heart rate, blood pressure and many other vital stats such as oxygen levels in the blood, etc. Immediately after a stress test, the heart maybe scanned using an echo cardiogram or other diagnostic procedures. This would pinpoint any abnormality in the heart while it is racing.

The treadmill test results are also significant for judging a person’s stamina and ability to handle physical exertion. In terms of general health, these are important factors because they would help and give the patient an idea about how much improvement in stamina is required in order to be healthy. For many people, the lack of stamina causes fatigue and fatigue related problems which may be misdiagnosed as other conditions. From the point of view of cardiac and respiratory health, a treadmill test allows any abnormality in the heart to be detected. Once this has been detected, further medical action can be taken in order to rectify the condition.

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