Exercise and Stress Echo

From: Owen Lowe (noemails_at_please.com)
Date: 08/21/04 

Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2004 17:12:26 -0700

Exercise works! Yes indeed. I just received the report from my second
annual Stress Echocardiogram. (History: Am 42 and had a blockage in my
right coronary artery in Feb. '03. Was angiogramed and stented. Began
exercising for cardiovascular health after that - not much of anything
on a consistant basis before. I've been running for a little more than a
year and just within the last 2 months have gotten more serious and
consistant in my efforts.)

On the first Stress Echo treadmill test I was able to get to 12 minutes
on the Bruce Protocol - just through level 4 at 6.75km/hr (4.2mph) and
16% incline and barely being able to do 8.05km/hr (5mph) at 18% incline.
My heart rate went from 70 to 166 during the test. (A notation states
that I stopped due to leg fatigue.)

Last week for my second Stress Echo I blew past my previous level and
went mid-way into level 6 with 16 minutes, 2 seconds at 8.85km/hr (5.5)
and 20% incline. Heart rate went from 63 to 178 and again it states I
stopped due to leg fatigue.

I probably could have done a little bit more, but running on a treadmill
where you must hold the hand rail - by nurse's orders - plus wearing a
tangle of EKG wires, a transmitter strapped to your waist and placing
your forearm on the nurse's shoulder so she can take your blood pressure
every few minutes sorta puts the skids on performing your best.

The hardest part of the whole proceedure is after the treadmill portion
is over. You must quickly lie down on the adjacent exam table to have
the ultrasound performed. Keep in mind your heart is pounding, you're
breathing very heavily, sweating pretty good and the technition asks you
to let out your breath and hold it out - OUT! - for 3-5 seconds while
she gets the images. Excruciating!

Next year I'm determined to hit level 7 - the tech said that's the
highest she's ever witnessed. :)

BTW, is there any significance to the changes in the Stress Echo
measurements below? Is there any indication of an increase in heart
function or fitness? (The report notes indicate no evidence to cause
concern and good exercise tolerance but I won't have a face-2-face for
another week and a half.)

Year of test- (2003) (2004)
Aortic Root - 31 34
Left Atrium- 34 36
EPSS - 5 7
LVIDd- 53 49
LVIDs- 40 32
%FS- 25 35
IVSd- 9 10
LVPWd- 9 9

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