The Bruce Protocol is a diagnostic test for heart and lung diseases, involving walking on a treadmill at increasing speeds and inclines. It is considered an accurate tool for diagnosing cardiovascular and respiratory problems. The test is stopped if the patient experiences chest pain, dizziness, extreme fatigue, or drastic blood pressure changes. Monitoring of vital signs continues after the test.
Developed by Robert A. Bruce, the Bruce Protocol is a diagnostic test primarily administered as part of a heart exam. During this one-time heart function test, patients walk on a treadmill for several minutes at various speeds and incline. As a result of this exam, doctors are better able to detect or predict heart conditions such as angina and coronary artery disease.
Also known as exercise tolerance or exercise testing, the Bruce protocol is often used to diagnose patients who have previously complained of chest pain or who have a history of heart disease. The test is also useful for evaluating or diagnosing lung disease. While other exercise tests are sometimes administered, doctors largely consider the Bruce Protocol to be a completely accurate tool in diagnosing cardiovascular and respiratory problems.
During the Bruce protocol, patients are tested in seven different phases, each consisting of three-minute intervals. In the first stage, a patient is asked to walk on a treadmill at a slow pace with a slight incline while connected to instruments used to record vital signs such as blood pressure and heart rate. As the test progresses, the incline slowly increases as does the speed of the treadmill. The total time spent on the Bruce protocol should vary depending on whether the patient is unable to complete the test due to chest pain, dizziness, extreme fatigue, or drastic blood pressure changes. If any of these conditions occur, the test is stopped immediately.
EKGs are checked upon completion of each stage within the test to monitor heart function, and the patient’s blood pressure is also periodically assessed. It is also not uncommon for a test to be halted before completion due to feedback received from medical instruments used to monitor a patient’s vital signs. While vital signs may indicate that a patient is in serious danger if exercise stress continues, testing is often halted due to an otherwise healthy patient’s lack of fitness, literally preventing them from physically completing all seven stages. of the Bruce protocol.
Whether the Bruce Protocol is aborted due to a patient’s vital signs or physical inability to complete it, heart and blood pressure monitoring continues for several minutes. This helps doctors understand the changes that are taking place in a person’s cardiovascular system after rigorous exercise. For several minutes immediately following a test, patients may still feel dizzy or short of breath, and cardiac arrhythmias may still occur.
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