How Fit Is Your Heart
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How Fit Is Your Heart
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To answer the question about how fit is your heart you need to know that there is an important difference between what many of us think of as fitness,how long we can exercise before getting tired and out of breath,to the fitness level of your heart as measured during a stress test.
A high level of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), a measure of how your heart, lungs and circulatory system function during exercise, usually indicates a lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). You do not need to know your CRF numbers to be fit. You just need to know that you can climb three flights of stairs without a racing heart.
If you are not sure how fit your heart is talk to your doctor about a stress test. Sometimes, people are surprised. A patient who has CHD but exercises regularly may be able to run a mile easily, while someone who doesn’t have CHD may get winded. It is not necessarily so then that if you can’t exercise very long you must have heart disease. It may just be that you are out of shape.
If you have been told you need a stress test it is likely that you are either having problems such as being short of breath or having chest pain, or you are probably at least 60 years old. Physicians generally order a stress test because they want a better understanding of your condition if you are having symptoms of possible problems. They may also want a stress test to establish a base line for your heart health as you age.
When you are taking the test, here is what happens whether you get on a treadmill or a bike. First you will be hooked up to equipment to monitor your heart. It is usually an electrocardiograph to record your heart’s electrical capacity. Small electrodes are taped to your shoulders and chest.
Your blood pressure is also monitored during the test with a cuff similar to the one that is used in your doctor’s office. In some cases you may be asked to breathe into a special mask to measure how efficiently or inefficiently you use oxygen.
The test usually starts with walking slowly in place on the treadmill. Then the speed is increased for a faster pace and the treadmill is titled to produce the effect of going up a small hill. The speed is usually increased every three minutes. Depending on your health, the speed may be adjusted faster or slower. You also can stop the test at any time when needed.
After slowing down, cooling down, for a few minutes, you will sit or lie down and your heart and blood pressure will be checked again. The test can show if there is a lack of blood supply through the arteries that go to the heart. The good news is there are medical professionals on hand in case anything unusual happens during the test. A test showing no abnormal electrocardiogram (EKG) readings, unusual blood pressure changes or heart rate variations is a good sign that you do not have heart disease.
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