Functional tests in patients with ischemic heart disease
Rodica Lucia Avram1,2, Alexandru Cristian Nechita1,2, Marius Nicolae Popescu2,3
1Cardiology Department, Sf. Pantelimon Emergency Hospital, Bucharest, Romania.
Journal of Medicine and Life
|February 21, 2022
Summary
Walking speed and Timed Up and Go tests effectively assess cardiac patients, particularly the elderly. These functional evaluations correlate with mortality and re-hospitalization, offering valuable insights into patient recovery.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Geriatrics
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Functional evaluation of cardiac patients increasingly utilizes simpler tests.
- Walking speed (WS) and Timed Up and Go (TUG) tests predict mortality and re-hospitalization, especially in elderly individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively evaluate the utility of WS and TUG tests in patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) and ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
- To determine the factors influencing these functional tests in cardiac patients.
Main Methods:
- Prospective analysis of 38 patients (CCS n=22, STEMI n=16) admitted to Cardiology Clinic.
- Assessment using G-WALK for WS and TUG test upon admission and before discharge.
- Correlation analysis with age, hemoglobin, creatinine, and cardiac parameters.
Main Results:
- Low WS was associated with older age and lower hemoglobin levels.
- WS significantly improved during hospitalization following treatment (p=0.03).
- TUG test duration was longer in heart failure patients (p=0.02) and correlated with age, creatinine, and right heart chamber dilation.
Conclusions:
- WS and TUG tests are valuable tools for assessing patients with CCS and STEMI.
- These functional tests are significantly influenced by patient age, highlighting their importance in elderly cardiac populations.
Keywords:
6MWT – 6-minute walk testCCS – chronic coronary syndromeCKD – chronic kidney diseaseCOPD – chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseCPET – cardiopulmonary exercise testingHF – heart failureIHD – ischemic heart diseaseIMT – intima-media thicknessMDRD – Modification of Diet in Renal DiseaseSTEMI – ST elevation myocardial infarctionTUG – Timed Up and GoTimed Up and Go testWS – walking speedfunctional capacityfunctional walk testsischemic heart diseasewalking speed
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