how to prepare for treadmill stress test
 

hi guys,
I had a heart calcium scan test done and the score was really high.
I was ordered to do a bruce stress test. The doctor is a bit familiar with FAA guideliness, but I think on this one as what he told me is not what I found on this link:
https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org...aded_exercise/

This link says it is 100% heart rate. he said it has to be 85% max. He also said it has to be level 4. The link says level 3 (9 minutes)

Anybody knows if these are the actual current guidelines?

For those who had this treadmill test done, how did you prepare for it? I'd lie i am not the fittest person.
I try to exercise a few days a week, but I want make sure I have no problem doing it.

How to develop endurance, how frequently adjust incline, stretching, etc. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

The purpose of the treadmill test is to SAFELY see how much your heart CAN be stressed and if your heart shows signs of ischemia (inadequate blood supply) under stress. This isn’t something you want to try to finesse or to build yourself up for. Just do what your doctor says. As far as the high heart calcium, that’s an indirect test to assess presence of calcified plaques that may cause coronary insufficiency. That is what they are looking for with the exercise test. If the test is normal, they will likely give you an aerobic exercise plan to get in better shape and possibly prescribe medications to decrease your cardiac risk. If the exercise test is abnormal, you are probably looking at a heart cath.

But forget diet supplements and do it yourself remedies and the like. Do what the cardiologist says. If you don’t trust him enough to do that, find one you do.

I know this is late but info for anybody else that reads it.
You will have to follow the FAA guideline and achieve 100% of your target heart rate for your age (220-age=100%heart rate) and complete level 3 (3 mins per level) so 9 minutes of the Bruce protocol stress test minimum. When you reach 100% and 9 minutes they will take EKG tracings for the FAA records. Depending on your conditioning, you may hit 100% at level 3 or it could take till level 5 or 6.
So...If are having a Bruce Protocol Stress test for any reason for your FAA Medical, It has to be 100% heart rate and at least 9 minutes. Do not accept anything less or they will not accept it and you will have wasted 3 months I bet! Good Luck...Its Not Hard!

Any sort of improvement to your cardio fitness level will improve your odds of avoiding troublesome results on a test like that.

Since you have a condition, check with your doc first if you haven't already.

Don't do sustained high-heart rate cardio (> about 80% max). That can have ramifications, especially if you're older (excess heart muscle development). Shoot for moderate heart-rate cardio (50-80%). You can do some intervals to get to near max heart rate for occasional short sprints, just don't sustain it.