TMT
A treadmill test is a form of exercise test method where a stress test is performed while the patient is exercising on a treadmill machine during the course of an electrocardiogram at Billroth Hospitals. The main purpose of the test method is majorly to compare blood circulation in the heart when the patient is resting and when under optimum physical pressure in the presence of cardiologists and technologists. A TMT is performed to identify a congenital heart problem like CAD (coronary artery disease).
In this test patient is made to walk on a treadmill and electrical activity of the heart is measured with an ECG, and blood pressure recordings are taken every few minutes. As per a standard protocol patient is made to walk till the target heart rate is reached, but if the patient develops chest discomfort or ECG changes the test is terminated.
The TMT test is indicated:
- to evaluate for coronary artery disease
- to evaluate for worsening angina
- to identify rhythm changes that may occur during exercise
- to evaluate the significance of valvular stenosis
The test is usually positive when the coronary stenosis is >70%.