Skip to main content
NCBI home page
British Heart Journal logoLink to British Heart Journal
. 1989 May;61(5):421–425. doi: 10.1136/hrt.61.5.421

A new exercise test for the assessment of heart failure: use of a self powered treadmill.

J Parameshwar 1, J H Dambrink 1, J Sparrow 1, C Wright 1, A Park 1, J Tweed 1, P A Poole-Wilson 1
PMCID: PMC1216694  PMID: 2736193

Abstract

Time limited exercise on a self powered treadmill was evaluated as a method of assessing functional capacity in patients with mild heart failure. The characteristics of the treadmill were established by exercising 11 controls at three speeds and two inclinations and comparing oxygen consumption with that on a motorised treadmill under the same conditions. Oxygen consumption on the self powered treadmill at an equivalent speed and inclination was significantly higher because of the work needed to overcome the friction of the belt. Unlike a conventional treadmill, increasing the gradient on the self powered treadmill did not increase oxygen consumption. The distance walked in 12 minutes on the self powered treadmill was measured in eight patients with mild heart failure and ten controls. Maximal oxygen consumption was measured in the same group on a conventional treadmill by a mass spectrometer. There was a significant correlation between the distance walked and maximum oxygen consumption. In patients with mild heart failure the distance travelled in 12 minutes on a self powered treadmill provides a practical, inexpensive, and sensitive method of assessing functional capacity.

Full text

PDF
421

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Buller N. P., Poole-Wilson P. A. Extrapolated maximal oxygen consumption: a new method for the objective analysis of respiratory gas exchange during exercise. Br Heart J. 1988 Feb;59(2):212–217. doi: 10.1136/hrt.59.2.212. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Davies N. J., Denison D. M. The measurement of metabolic gas exchange and minute volume by mass spectrometry alone. Respir Physiol. 1979 Feb;36(2):261–267. doi: 10.1016/0034-5687(79)90029-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Franciosa J. A. Exercise testing in chronic congestive heart failure. Am J Cardiol. 1984 May 15;53(10):1447–1450. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9149(84)91041-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Froelicher V. F. Exercise testing and training: clinical applications. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1983 Jan;1(1):114–125. doi: 10.1016/s0735-1097(83)80016-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Guyatt G. H., Sullivan M. J., Thompson P. J., Fallen E. L., Pugsley S. O., Taylor D. W., Berman L. B. The 6-minute walk: a new measure of exercise capacity in patients with chronic heart failure. Can Med Assoc J. 1985 Apr 15;132(8):919–923. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Lipkin D. P., Perrins J., Poole-Wilson P. A. Respiratory gas exchange in the assessment of patients with impaired ventricular function. Br Heart J. 1985 Sep;54(3):321–328. doi: 10.1136/hrt.54.3.321. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Lipkin D. P., Poole-Wilson P. A. Treatment of chronic heart failure: a review of recent drug trials. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1985 Oct 12;291(6501):993–996. doi: 10.1136/bmj.291.6501.993. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Lipkin D. P., Scriven A. J., Crake T., Poole-Wilson P. A. Six minute walking test for assessing exercise capacity in chronic heart failure. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1986 Mar 8;292(6521):653–655. doi: 10.1136/bmj.292.6521.653. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Lipkin D. P. The role of exercise testing in chronic heart failure. Br Heart J. 1987 Dec;58(6):559–566. doi: 10.1136/hrt.58.6.559. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. WASSERMAN K., MCILROY M. B. DETECTING THE THRESHOLD OF ANAEROBIC METABOLISM IN CARDIAC PATIENTS DURING EXERCISE. Am J Cardiol. 1964 Dec;14:844–852. doi: 10.1016/0002-9149(64)90012-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Wasserman K., Whipp B. J., Koyl S. N., Beaver W. L. Anaerobic threshold and respiratory gas exchange during exercise. J Appl Physiol. 1973 Aug;35(2):236–243. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1973.35.2.236. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Weber K. T., Kinasewitz G. T., Janicki J. S., Fishman A. P. Oxygen utilization and ventilation during exercise in patients with chronic cardiac failure. Circulation. 1982 Jun;65(6):1213–1223. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.65.6.1213. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Wilson J. R., Fink L. I., Ferraro N., Dunkman W. B., Jones R. A. Use of maximal bicycle exercise testing with respiratory gas analysis to assess exercise performance in patients with congestive heart failure secondary to coronary artery disease or to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Am J Cardiol. 1986 Sep 15;58(7):601–606. doi: 10.1016/0002-9149(86)90283-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Heart Journal are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES