Exercise Tolerance Test 

A high pulse rate can be caused by many factors including lifestyle, emotional and psychological triggers, certain medicines, heart conditions, heart rhythm problems or other medical conditions. The ETT is used to see how your heart works when you are more active. If you are experiencing a high pulse rate as well as other symptoms including chest pain, breathlessness or high blood pressure, then you should see your GP to discuss your symptoms and their possible causes. It may then be decided that you need further investigations. For more information please call the Advice line nurses on 0808 801 0899.

Thank you for accessing our CHSS RU-vid resources. With regards to your question: Cholesterol levels are based on LDL & HDL levels. I wonder (but you do not say) if the figure you have provided is a total cholesterol level based on both these figures. I would recommend that you discuss your results with your health care professional and/or the person who provided you with these results. Meanwhile please find attached a link to NHS online that gives you more information on cholesterol levels and advice on lowering your cholesterol should you need to: www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-cholesterol/ also a link to a CHSS leaflet that will give you more information and advice on Cholesterol: www.chss.org.uk/documents/2013/08/e1_essential_guide_cholesterol_pdf.pdf Please be advised that the link and the attached leaflet are based on how cholesterol is tested, results are reported & high cholesterol is treated in the UK. If you live outwith the UK cholesterol results may be reported differently and treatment options may also differ.

@Zaber Shaeef how are you now?

They were the mcdonalds burgers and chips he ate that caused the problems

Yes there will be a hand rail in front of you to hold onto as seen in the video

@@CHSScotland May I ask the total time that he was on the treadmill? I have a nuclear stress test scheduled in a couple of weeks. I will opt for the treadmill! I have AFib and my doctor is ordering this test to see if anything else is going on inside my heart. I can tell you that I am a bit Nervous!!

There are a few ways of checking how the heart works when exercising or under ‘stress’. The one pictured is a called a ‘exercise test’ or a ‘treadmill test’. This test does not require using a dye. The test involves walking on a treadmill or cycling an exercise bike while your heart is monitored with an electrocardiogram (ECG). During the test the level of difficulty will be increased which makes the heart work harder. If you are unable to walk on a treadmill or use an exercise bike other tests may be used to check how well your heart is working, these include radionuclide testing, stress echocardiogram, or a myocardial perfusion scan. Two of these tests use radioactive substances to help view the blood flow in the heart. Before taking your test, it is important that you speak to your health care team. They will be able to explain what test you will be having, any risks or side-effects, and answer any questions. For further information about these and other tests please see www.chss.org.uk/heart-information-and-support/about-your-heart-condition/tests-and-investigations/ .

It sounds like there are few issues that you may wish further information around blood pressure, discomfort symptoms, cholesterol and managing anxiety. It would be useful to discuss these further. If you are from Scotland please feel free to contact us on our Adviceline on 0808 801 0899 And we also have information available on our website related to the above concerns. In the meantime if you have concerns you could make a further appointment with your GP to discuss. It may be useful to keep a symptom diary to share with your clinician and discuss any health concerns you may have and crucially how you can manage them effectively.

Thank you for your enquiry. With regards to the timings of an exercise tolerance test. Each level takes/lasts 3 minutes. As you go through each level on the treadmill it becomes steeper and faster. You are asked at each level to say if you have symptoms or need to stop. If you tolerate the whole process it will take around 30 minutes to complete the exercise tolerance test. This includes setting up, performing the test and a cooling down period. I hope that this information is helpful

ETT is to help reach a conclusion about the cause of chest pain, not to determine the presence of coronary heart disease (CAD). It is therefore possible to still have angina if an ETT is “normal” and a doctor would then consider other test/investigations to conclude a diagnosis. A normal ETT result would indicate you do not have significant CAD, but you could still have angina/heat attack if a smaller blockage exists. Your doctor may want to do further testing if you have other risk factors for heart disease or symptoms indicative of angina.

Go ct angiography