The average age of our population is rising more and more and with it the number of people with an increased risk of heart disease. This also increases the need for examinations that affect the cardiovascular system. This occupies an important position in this area of medicine Exercise ECG one in which an intensive examination of the resilience of the patient concerned is carried out.
What is an exercise ECG?
At the Exercise ECG it is generally a process by which patients are tested for physical performance. Various ergometers are used, which are based on cross-sectional or longitudinal examinations, step or endurance tests.
These are procedures that help diagnose a person's individual performance. The documentation takes place within the framework of so-called performance diagnostics. The corresponding electrocardiogram is recorded while the exercise ECG is being performed. The exercise ECG generally covers the area in medicine which is referred to as ergometry.
The meaning and function of an exercise ECG can be derived from the term on closer inspection. The word ergometry is made up of the Greek words ergon and metron, whereby the first can be translated as work and the second as yardstick.
Function, effect & goals
The diagnoses resulting from the Exercise ECG cover a broad spectrum, with statements about the performance of the patient and statements regarding blood pressure behavior under stress conditions.
Furthermore, cardiac arrhythmias can be recognized using the drawn electrocardiogram. The stress ECG is of particular importance in the field of health care, as it is an effective preventive measure for the early detection of the risk of heart attacks. At the same time, it is used for follow-up examinations in patients who have already suffered a heart attack.
The areas of application of the stress ECG also include examinations in the context of other diseases such as pulmonary insufficiency and heart failure, excessive rise in blood pressure, circulatory disorders and coronary heart disease. The importance of this examination method is generally based to a large extent on the fact that in a number of cases symptoms for such diseases only appear under stress and therefore would not be detectable with other methods.
Generally, the patient is always exposed to stress that increases slowly. In most cases, a stationary bike is used, which is also known as an ergometer. While the patient is pedaling at a certain speed, the patient's electrocardiogram is recorded. In addition to the control of the heart rhythm and pulse, the blood pressure is always measured. After the exercise phase on the ergometer has been completed, the heart rate is checked again for several minutes in order to determine the time it takes to restore the initial state.
The assessment then flows into the assessment of the patient's resilience. Another area of application of the exercise ECG is sports medicine, where it is used to determine the current level of performance of the respective athlete and is an important basic component for setting up or updating the training plan. In addition to the bicycle ergometer, treadmill ergometers and climbing steps are also used in some countries for exercise ECG.
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➔ Medicines for cardiac arrhythmiasRisks & dangers
At the Exercise ECG As with many other medical methods, there are also certain risks. In this case, however, these reach a comparatively low level. First and foremost, it should be noted that in some cases the use of the stress ECG should be avoided.
This includes the implementation of patients who suffer from acute myocardial inflammation and whose menstrual blood pressure exceeds a value of 200/120 mmHg. Furthermore, an exercise ECG is not carried out for people who are at risk of an acute heart attack.
In general, however, it can be stated that the risk is no higher than the normal, average, statistical risk in cardiac patients. Only in rare cases are the incidents so extreme that the use of a defibrillator is necessary. The advantages of exercise ECG outweigh the dangers that can be associated with it.
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