Exercise testing for adults

• Eat a light meal 2 hours before the test, and then refrain from eating until the test (you can drink water).
• Refrain from smoking for about 4 hours before the test.
• The day before the test and on the day of the test, do not drink alcohol.
• Wear comfortable clothing, bring a change of athletic shoes and stock up on water to drink.
• You should bring with you the results of previous exercise tests, ECGs and other cardiology tests, along with information sheets from hospital treatment.
• You should bring a list of constantly taken medications and dosages taken.
• If the patient is taking medication, on the day of the test, he should take it as prescribed by his attending physician.
• Diabetic patients should bring a meal and water to drink with them.
• Do not lubricate the skin with creams, ointments before the test - the skin should be clean, dry and degreased.
• You should report for the test about 30 minutes before the test begins and reserve 15 minutes after the test to rest.

An exercise ECG test is otherwise known as a cardiac stress test. This test allows the detection of changes in the electrical activity of the heart (indicating, for example, myocardial ischemia) that occur during exercise. It is a non-invasive test that helps diagnose coronary artery disease.
Before the test, after skin preparation (shaving the hair and degreasing), ECG electrodes are applied to the chest and a blood pressure cuff is applied. A resting ECG is then performed. The patient is asked to report any worrisome symptoms such as chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath or severe fatigue. Blood pressure and ECG are systematically recorded. The exercise test lasts about 20 minutes and is conducted on a treadmill. The test is discontinued when the age-predicted heart rate is reached, complaints occur, or ECG changes appear. After its completion, the doctor analyzes and describes the results of the test. The exercise stress test evaluates cardiac function in response to increased physical exertion.

• Explaining the causes of chest pain,
• The presence of risk factors for coronary heart disease such as obesity, hypertension, and elevated cholesterol,
• smoking cigarettes,
• heart disease in the family,
• Diagnosis, evaluation of the progression and effectiveness of treatment of ischemic heart disease,
• Qualification for invasive tests (coronarography) and as a follow-up test after plastic surgery or by-pass surgery,
• Diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmias manifested during or after exercise,
• Establishing a rehabilitation plan in a person after a heart attack or with heart disease,
• Assessment of physical fitness and cardiovascular function.