This test will tell you if you are in good cardiovascular health. I could save your life

80% of deaths from cardiovascular diseases are preventable. This is because most cardiovascular diseases are related to modifiable risk factors, such as smoking, unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, excessive alcohol consumption, and uncontrolled high blood pressure.

Therefore, it is recommended to adopt a healthy lifestyle and carry out preventive measures to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.. In addition, it is important to receive regular medical attention and follow the doctor's recommendations to control any existing risk factors.. In case of , an early diagnosis is always good news.

Man running down the street looking at his watch to see his heart rate. rec

Knowing that something problematic is happening before a problem occurs, will allow us to take action in time and hopefully avoid a catastrophe.. And when we talk about a heart condition, in which the risks are -by definition- so great, it is of vital importance that it be located as soon as possible.. But of course, we can't be in the hospital all day asking for electrocardiograms on a whim either.. So how do you know when it's time to have a cardiac test?

A study at the Hospital Universitario de La Coruña directed by the cardiologist Dr.. Jesús Peteiro, found the answer: If you are able to climb 60 steps in one minute (or less), it means that you enjoy good heart health. On the other hand, if you need more than a minute and a half (90 seconds) to climb these 60 steps, it is important that you consult your doctor.

“The idea was to find a simple and cheap method to evaluate the health of the heart. This can help doctors to classify patients for more extensive examinations”, explained Dr. Jesús Peteiro, author of the research carried out by the Hospital Universitario de La Coruña.

Cardiovascular risk factors: how to avoid diseases derived from the heart La Razón La Razón

The research, which was presented at the Scientific Congress of the European Society of Cardiology in 2020, included 165 patients who were asked to climb these four floors while they were timed.. Once the times of each patient were compared with the results obtained in the cardiac analysis, some elements were found that could be quite illustrative:

The patients who managed to perform the test within the limit of one minute achieved values above 9 or 10 METs (unit used in cardiology to assess the result of a stress test), which is associated with normal heart function. and with a mortality below 1% per year and around 10% in 10 years.

Meanwhile, patients who took more than 90 seconds to climb the stairs had a value below 8 METs, which would indicate a mortality rate of about 2-4% per year, and more than 30%. in 10 years. In addition, around 60% of this group also presented some cardiac abnormality during another stress test, this time on a treadmill.

This was not the first study to find a direct relationship between climbing stairs and the proper functioning of the heart.. In fact, before Dr.. Peteiro launched his study, two Canadian universities, UBC Okunagan and McMaster University, already confirmed that climbing stairs with agility was a good method to exercise the heart.

Climbing stairs with agility was a good method to exercise the heart | stock photography larazón

In conclusion, climbing stairs regularly is a recommended exercise to prevent possible heart conditions. Therefore, it is recommended that – whenever possible – we do not use the elevator. And if the day comes when we can't climb 4 floors in less than a minute, maybe it's time to make an appointment with our cardiologist to check that everything is working as it should. It goes without saying that this will be more important in the event that there is a family or personal history, which -obviously- will increase the risk of heart conditions.

When discussing this situation with the specialist, he will explain the full range of non-invasive cardiac tests that we have at our disposal and will guide us as to which is the most appropriate in our situation.. Which could be an echocardiogram, a calcium test in the coronary arteries, an MRI, an electrocardiogram, etc.