If you are able to climb four flights of stairs in less than a minute it means that you heart is in good health, or at least that is what a new study that has been presented in EACVI – Best of Imaging 2020, the scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
According to Dr. Jesús Peteiro, cardiologist at the University Hospital of A Coruña and author of the study, stairs test It is a simple way to check the health of our heart. The expert has said that taking more than a minute and a half to climb four flights of stairs indicates that the health of this organ is insufficient and that it would be advisable to consult a doctor.
Patients who took 1.5 minutes or more to climb the stairs had fewer than 8 METs, which translates into a mortality rate of 2-4% per year, or 30% in 10 years
The aim of the research was to examine the relationship between daily physical activity – such as climbing stairs – and the results of exercise tested in a laboratory, to find a simple and inexpensive method of assess heart healthsays Peteiro, adding that this could help doctors identify patients who need additional tests.
The study included 165 symptomatic patients who had been selected for exercise testing because they were known or suspected to have Coronary artery disease. Symptoms included chest pain or shortness of breath on exertion. These individuals walked or ran on a treadmill gradually increasing the intensity of the exercise, and continuing until exhaustion.
Physical exercise, heart function, and mortality rate
Exercise capacity was measured with metabolic equivalents (METs) – a unit of measurement that assigns a numerical value to the level of physical effort experienced when exercising – and after resting for 15 or 20 minutes, the patients were asked to climb four sections of stairs60 steps) at a fast pace and without stopping, but without running, and the time they took was recorded.
The researchers analyzed the relationship between the METs achieved during the exercise test and the time it took them to climb the four flights of stairs. Patients who climbed them in less than 40-45 seconds obtained more than 9-10 METs. Previous studies have shown that 10 METs during exercise testing is associated with a low mortality rate (1% or less per year, or 10% in 10 years). In contrast, patients who took 1.5 minutes or more to climb the stairs obtained fewer than 8 METs, which translates into a mortality rate of between 2 and 4% per year, or 30% in 10 years .
58% of the patients who needed more than a minute and a half to complete the stairs test showed abnormal heart function during the treadmill test
During the test with the treadmill, the researchers also generated images of the patients’ hearts to see how it functioned during exercise, as normal function during physical activity indicates a lower chance of coronary artery disease.
When comparing their findings with the results of the ladder test, they observed that 58% of the patients who needed more than a minute and a half to complete it showed a abnormal heart function during the tape test, while only 32% of those who climbed the stairs in less than a minute had abnormal heart function during the tape test.
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