Ergometry

Ergometry is carried out in the cardiology department of the private clinic “Herzliya Medical Center” in Israel in accordance with various protocols and indications. Cardiologists of the hospital use the most modern medical equipment, which guarantees the high accuracy of results.

What is ergometry?

Ergometry is the study of cardiac function under exertion (cardiac stress test). The heart of a healthy person allows overcoming significant physical stress. The heart disease ischemic disease, significantly reduces this capability, worsening a patient’s condition at the time of the exertion. The necessity of studying the cardiovascular fitness of the heart is caused by the fact that some heart diseases do not manifest themselves in a state of rest (for example, arrhythmia and coronary artery insufficiency), which makes it difficult to diagnose them in a timely manner.

Indications for the execution of ergometry in Israel

The study of heart functions under exertion is recommended for the following conditions:

• Diagnosis of coronary artery insufficiency (ischemic heart disease) in the absence of symptoms and changes in ECG at rest
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of drug therapy for coronary heart disease (ischemic heart disease)
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of minimally invasive intravascular procedures (balloon expansion and stenting) for patients with coronary insufficiency
• Diagnosis of latent (hidden) forms of heart rhythm disturbances that do not manifest themselves at rest
• Determination of the condition of valvular heart and diagnosis of hemodynamic disorders in exertion
• Determination of arterial pressure changes reaction during physical activity

Types of ergometry

All types of functional studies of cardiac function under exertion are carried out in the private clinic “Herzliya Medical Center”. Cardiologists of the hospital can recommend one of the following types of stress tests, depending on the patient’s condition and indications for the study:

• ECG involving physical activity on the treadmill. In this study, physical activity is achieved by fast walking or running during continuous monitoring, which diagnoses ischemic changes and heart rhythm disturbances
• Echocardiography under exertion (echo stress test). With this form of ergometry, despite detecting the electrical signals (ECG), echocardiography, which makes it possible to evaluate the contractility of the heart muscle and the function of the valves, is performed
• Stress test under the pharmacological exertion (usually with the use of Dobutamine or Adenosine). Patients with contraindications to ergometry on the treadmill consume safe medications that create an imitation of physical activity, which allows determining coronary circulation reserve. This study is conducted under both, ECG monitoring and echocardiographic observation
• Isotopic scanning under exertion. In some cases, scanning the heart after the introduction of a radioisotope can provide an exhaustive picture of the functions of the myocardium and coronary circulation. A combination of isotope scanning with a stress test allows differential diagnosis of doubtful conditions comparable to regional ischemia

How ergometry is carried out in the private clinic “Herzliya Medical Center”

Before the study the patient should not eat, it is also not allowed to drink much. It is essential to exclude products that contain caffeine from consumption 12 hours before the stress test, as caffeine impacts the result of the study.

Individual recommendations for the preparation for ergometry will be given to patients in the case of:

• Diabetes. The therapist will assess the likelihood of sugar reduction in the blood during the preparation and execution of the stress test, and he will also help to prevent the state of hypoglycemia (the sugar level decrease below the permissible norm)
• The use of medications that expand the coronary vessels. These medications can distort the true picture of the coronary circulation
• The use of bronchodilators, including pocket inhalers. Since the results of the stress test are also affected by the breathing condition, patients suffering from asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases will receive preliminary recommendations to exclude respiratory artifacts

Ergometry in the clinic “Herzliya Medical Center” is executed in several stages:

• Evaluation of cardiac function at rest. Further physical or pharmacological exertion is not allowed in the presence of ischemic changes in ECG.
• Under the physical activity on the treadmill method, patients are encouraged to walk fast until the desired number of heartbeats is reached (depending on the age category). When using medications, patients are given the required amount determined by the method of titration
• During exertion, vital indicators are monitored and the necessary studies are performed depending on the method of ergometry selected by the specialists

At the end of the procedure, the doctors evaluate the results obtained, determining the heart’s reaction to the physical activity. The cardiologists of the Herzliya Medical Center, based on the vast clinical experience, will intelligently decode ergometry data. The accurate diagnosis will help specialists to choose the most effective method of treatment in Israel.