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The safety of treadmill exercise stress testing in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms
P J Best1, A J Tajik, R J Gibbons
1Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
Background:
Exercise stress testing in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms may cause enlargement or rupture of aneurysms.
Objective:
To evaluate the safety of treadmill exercise stress testing in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms.
Design:
Retrospective descriptive study.
Setting:
Tertiary care center.
Patients:
262 patients who had abdominal aortic aneurysms more than 4 cm in diameter and underwent treadmill exercise stress testing.
Measurements:
Pain after stress testing, rupture of the aneurysm or death, aneurysm size, and exercise stress test results.
Results:
The average aneurysm diameter was 5.5 +/- 1.1 cm. One patient with a 6.1-cm aneurysm was found to have a contained rupture 12 hours after stress testing. The event rate for aneurysm rupture was 0.4% (95% CI, 0.0% to 2.1%). No deaths or other negative outcomes were documented.
Conclusion:
Despite theoretical concerns, exercise stress testing of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms seems to be safe and is associated with a low incidence of acute adverse events.
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Exercise Stress Test
Exercise stress testing, commonly known as a treadmill test, is a noninvasive procedure used to evaluate cardiovascular function and diagnose heart conditions.
Definition
An exercise stress test measures the heart's response to exertion using a treadmill or stationary bicycle. Chest electrodes record the heart's electrical activity through an ECG, and blood pressure is monitored regularly.
Purposes
Aortic Regurgitation III: Medical Management
Aneurysm II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
Aneurysm III: Interprofessional Care
Aneurysm IV: Nursing Management

