The Bruce Protocol is a type of stress tests that is used in cardiology clinics to measure how your heart respond to physical exertion. To perform the test, you will have to step onto the treadmill and wires will be attached to your chest to monitor your heart. The test will gradually increase the workload of the treadmill in three minute increments.
During these three-minute interval, the incline and speed of the treadmill will increase. The reason why these variable increase during the test is to allow your cardiovascular system to work to meet the demands of your body for oxygen. This test can be used to determine your breaking point for physical exertion, or to examine the way in which your heart function while under physical pressure.
How the Bruce Protocol Test Works
During the test, various measurement can be taken to determine your level of exertion. One of the most common measurement is METs, which stands for metabolic equivalents. One MET is equivalent to the amount of oxygen that is required by an individual while they are sitting still.
During the protocol, your METs will increase with the increasing difficulty of the treadmill protocol. The higher your METs during the test, the more efficient your heart and lung are at supplying the muscles with the fuel that they requires to perform. The standard Bruce Protocol protocol is notably difficult, and most individuals fails to reach the last stage of the standard protocol.
The purpose of the Bruce Protocol is not to exhaust yourself during the test, but to evaluate how your heart react to the physical demands of the treadmill. For some individuals, the protocol will make you feel physical fatigued. For others, however, it may reveal a problem with one of your coronary artery.
Because the standard protocol is so physically demanding, however, a moddern modified protocol exist. The modified protocol begins on a flat treadmill with a gentler incline. This protocol is used for the elderly, or those who are not accustomed to performing physical exercises.
Various measurement will be continuously taken during the test. The technician will monitor your blood pressure, as well as your electrocardiogram (ECG). Abnormal reading on your blood pressure may indicate an issue with the way that your heart is functioning.
If your systolic blood pressure drop while the difficulty of the treadmill increases, for example, this may be an indicator of a problem with your heart. Another goal of the Bruce Protocol exercise is that you reach 85% of your age predicted maximum heart rate. If you can reach this percentage while displaying normal waveform on your ECG recording, the Bruce Protocol will be considered successful for that individual.
There are a few step that you can take prior to undergoing a Bruce Protocol exercise. One of the most important is to avoid caffeine before the test. Because caffeine can naturaly increase an individual heart rate, it could lead to unreliable measurements of that individual heart rate.
Additionally, you should fast for a few hour before the test. This will ensure that your body doesnt need to divert blood to your stomach to perform digestion. Instead, your body can direct the blood to your leg muscle as you walk on the treadmill.
Overall, the Bruce Protocol will provide a baseline measurement of your physical fitness. Your fitness level can be determined through the Bruce Protocol, as well as the amount in which you can improve your fitness level. While the protocol may make you feel as if you are out of breath, you will have a measurement of that condition for your heart.
