The Progression Of The Treadmill Stress Test
By Kevin Urban

The most often used method of assessing the human cardiovascular system is the treadmill stress test. By studying the heart’s performance and reaction under various levels of physical exertion, doctors are able to gage a starting point for either ruling out a cardiovascular concern or developing a diagnosis. Its reliability and/or validity are perhaps the most significant reasons why the treadmill test is so commonly part of a regular cardiovascular workup prescribed for a patient.

The treadmill stress test initially began as the simple process of checking heart rate and blood pressure during exercise. Heart rate and blood pressure were each checked before the test as the patient rested. Typically, it began with the patient beginning to walk on the machine at a slow pace, with those vitals being monitored as the walk progressed to higher paces.

If the patient’s vital statistics changed dramatically, causing the patient uncomfortable levels of stress the treadmill test indicated at what level of activity that stress began. An indication of no increased stress on the cardiovascular system during the patient’s test was generally interpreted as a sign of a healthy heart.

As research lead to advances in both medicine and technology progressed, those advances increased the effectiveness of the treadmill test in the diagnosis of cardiovascular disease. In the early 1970’s, physicians began using machines that performed EKG testing simultaneously while the patient walked the machine.

Instead of only being able to monitor heart rate and blood pressure, the advanced stress test using a treadmill allowed doctors to actually view feedback of the heart’s activity as the patient walked. This capacity opened a previously closed door to preventive cardiovascular care.