Effort Test
In hospitals, the effort test is performed on a motorised treadmill called a “treadmill” under the supervision of a cardiologist and a technician. Electrodes will be attached to your chest for ECG recording and your pulse and blood pressure will be measured under resting conditions. Your ECG will then be taken while lying down, standing and after one minute of deep breathing. At the beginning of the standard test, the treadmill moves slowly and with little incline. Then every three minutes there is a slight increase in speed and incline according to the exercise protocol. In the beginning it will be sufficient to walk at a certain pace, in the later stages you may need to run.
The aim here is to gradually increase the load on the heart and to bring the heart rate to a certain minimum value calculated according to your age (the heart rate to be reached decreases with increasing age). Within this framework, the duration of exercise will vary according to your age and effort capacity. The average duration is approximately 8-10 minutes. During the test, your heart rhythm is continuously monitored on the screen and your blood pressure is measured at each stage (every 3 minutes).
Things to Do Before Effort Test
- – Nothing should be eaten from at least two hours before
- – Smoking should be avoided during this period
- – Your doctor should be consulted about whether you can take your regular medication
- – Always wear comfortable clothes. Bring a tracksuit or shorts and trainers with you on the day of the test
- – If an effort test is required in your everyday attire, a low-heeled shoe with a rubber sole and comfortable trousers are appropriate.
Effort Test Process
- – If you have any complaints during exercise (chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, palpitations, leg pain, fatigue, etc.), please inform the test team.
- – The exercise part of the test will be terminated if you reach the target heart rate, if you get tired or if you have complaints that prevent you from continuing, or for medical reasons to be decided by the doctor.
- – During this period, rhythm monitoring, ECG and blood pressure are recorded for a minimum of five minutes and the procedure is terminated.
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