stress test
I am a 77 yr old man in reasonable health, but weigh 295 lbs. A yr ago following indigestion, I was given a treadmill stress test. Although the doctor said I did OK, the report indicated a 4.8 METS. An endoscopy revealed irritation in my duodena, due to taking too much Nsaids (Ibuprofen, etc). I stopped using Nsaids and indigestion ceased.
Recently, I had a physical for DOT (Dept of Transportation). This is a yearly requirement for CDL as stipulated by the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Admin.) I drive a school bus.
Based on 4.8 METS, I did not pass the physical and must have another stress test and achieve 6.0 METS or higher. My back bothers me and I'm afraid I might not be able to go 6 minutes which correlates to METS.
My doctor has suggested a chemical stress test instead of a treadmill test. Is a chem stress test the equivalent of a treadmill and will it be scored by METS?
Great question. I did stress tests for many years, and the hospital I work in actually prefers to do chemical stress tests as opposed to walking/ jogging stress tests. Basically, you are injected with a medicine while lying on a bed. And the medicine makes you feel like you are getting a workout. And the medicine stops working after three minutes and the feeling goes away. So the tests lasts just a few minutes. So, it's a pretty safe test and it's relatively easy to do. That said, I am not familiar with METS. I think it may benefit you to talk to (or perhaps email) your physician. I am sure he/she would be willing to explain why he wasn't concerned with a value of 4.8 and the doctor performing your annual physical did. And also, I am certain your doctor would know if a chemical stress test is scored by METS. Or, perhaps others in the community will know the answer. What do you think? John. heart-failure.net community moderator.
