If You Can Do This Simple Test In 60 Seconds, Your Heart Is in Good Shape

Often times when measuring heart health, we are encouraged to seek a medical professional and perform expensive tests.

However, a new study highlighted by the European Society of Cardiology has found a simple and inexpensive way to assess heart health (1).

Dr. Jesus Peteiro from the University Hospital A Coruna, Spain states that if it takes more than one and a half minutes to climb four flights of stairs or 60 stairs in total, then your heart health could use improvement (1).

The study assessed 165 patients who were suspected to have coronary heart disease.

These patients all had symptoms of chest pain or shortness of breath when exercising (1).

These patients all had symptoms of chest pain or shortness of breath when exercising (1).

All of the participants walked or ran on a treadmill while intermittently increasing the intensity. When the patients were exhausted, their exercise capacity was measured in MET’s (1).

Then, all participants rested for 15-20 minutes until fully recovered, and then were asked to complete a stair-climbing test.

This test required the subjects to climb four flights of stairs.

All participants climbed 60 stairs, the same number of stairs as 4 flights.

None of the patients could run or stop during the test, and their times were recorded.

After their ascent, the researchers then looked at the test results and the relationship between MET’s and the time it took to climb the stairs.

Patients who climbed the stairs in less than 45 seconds achieved more than 9-10 MET’s (1).

Other studies have shown that 10 MET’s is linked to a low mortality rate.

On the other hand, participants who took 1.5 minutes or more to complete the required number of steps exerted less than 8 MET’s.

8 MET’s during an exercise test is linked to a higher mortality rate (1).

This study also looked at images of heart function during the treadmill test. It was shown that 58% of those who completed the stair test in more than 1.5 minutes also had abnormal heart function (1).

In contrast, only 32% of those who finished in under 45 seconds had abnormal heart function after the stair ascent (1).

Overall, Dr. Jesus Peteiro found that the significant correlation of the stair-climbing test time and exercise capacity could be translated to the general population.

In better terms, anyone can use this test to determine their current heart health.

Good Heart Health

Oftentimes, when we think of “good heart health”, healthy eating and regular physical activity, come to mind.

While these are great, let’s take a deeper dive into the big impact of lifestyle changes to promote a lower risk of heart disease.

There are many factors that contribute to heart health.

For example, higher blood pressure, high cholesterol levels (blood fats), or abnormal heart rate can increase heart disease risk.

The American Heart Association (AHA) states that a healthy diet and lifestyle are the best weapons against cardiovascular disease (2).

Here are a few key ways to reduce the risk of heart disease:

Regular Physical Activity – Heart Health

Regular physical activity will help to increase the number of calories you burn each day.

Each week, aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise.

Physical activity can help to maintain weight, prevent obesity, and improve cardiovascular health.

If you cannot schedule a 30-minute workout into your day, try adding short bursts of exercise throughout your day.

Taking the stairs or walking during phone calls are both easy ways to increase the number of calories burned!

Overall Healthy Diet – Heart Health

A heart-healthy diet can lower the risk of heart disease and support long-term overall health.

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