Rehabilitation of cardiac patients--evaluation of cardiac function by the step test

Abstract

For the rehabilitation of patients with cardiac dieases, the cardiac function and cardiac reserve were determined with oxygen consumption, modified physical fitness index, oxygen debt, oxygen pulse and ECG upon exercise loading. Method: Utilizing Master's 2-step stairs, 2-step exercise loading for 3 minutes (2-step method) was employed in 103 cases, including normal subjects, patients with coronary heart disease, valvular heart disease and hypertensive heart disease of Classes I-III of New York Heart Association (NYHA). Patients were made to step up and down the 2 steps 24 times for 3 minutes. One-step exercise loading for 10 minutes (one-step method) was used in 76 cases. Patients were made to step up one step and back down on the floor 15 times per minute for 10 minutes. Before, during and after exercise loading, oxygen consumption and blood pressure were measured and continuous ECG tracing was obtained with the use of 3 channel radioelectrocardiograph. Then, modified physical fitness index1, 2 (mPFI1, 2) were calculated from the following equation. [numerical formula] Oxygen debt and oxygen pulse were also calculated. The loading was discontinued in the one-step method when marked dyspnea, chest pain, paroxysmal tachycardia or marked ST depression (5mm) were noted.