Contents:
- Medical Video: 5 Common Signs of Heart Disease
- Why are men's and women's heart training tests different?
- The time needed is different
- Differences in accuracy of results
- Hormonal difference
- Age difference
Medical Video: 5 Common Signs of Heart Disease
Heart disease is no longer looking at age and sex. Men or women, young or old, can be equally attacked by this famously deadly disease. Especially for women, they are less likely to experience symptoms of coronary heart disease (CHD), but deaths from CHD are found to be higher in women than in men. Therefore, early detection of the disease is very necessary, even though the individual does not show any symptoms (asymptomatic).
The heart training test using a treadmill test is the most commonly used method, and is the first diagnostic test recommended for detecting coronary heart disease in women at moderate risk, with a normal baseline electrocardiogram. Measuring the risk of coronary heart disease needs to be done before women do a heart training test, because this will affect the incidence of false positive test results.
The procedure for the treadmill test protocol used is generally the same between men and women. The Bruce Protocol is a standard protocol used for women who can do exercises safely, while the Bruce protocol has been modified (modified Bruce) can be used if the woman experiences intolerance to exercise, for example at an older age. Other protocols can also be used depending on the pre-test results.
However, there are some differences in heart training tests between men and women. Anything? Let's look at the following explanation.
Why are men's and women's heart training tests different?
The time needed is different
The aim of the training test to be achieved is that participants are able to reach at least 85% of the maximum heart rate. Generally, women will achieve maximum exercise capacity in 8-12 minutes of training time. Whereas in men, maximum exercise capacity is achieved faster, namely in 5-6 minutes. This difference arises because generally men are more fit than women. A study says, although both have a medium risk of coronary heart disease, obese men are more tolerant of heart test exercises than obese women.
Differences in accuracy of results
The interpretation of the results of the heart training test using the treadmill test needs to be focused on several test variables, which are different from men. Based on theory, there are digitalis-like effect the hormone estrogen, and the high incidence of single coronary artery disease compared to the disease of three coronary arteries. Therefore, the sensitivity and specificity of the test in women is lower than that of men.
Heart wave pattern abnormalities, namely ST segment depression arising during the heart training test, usually describes a process of oxygen deficiency (ischemia), indicating the presence of a clogged blood vessel. However, in women, ST segment depression that arises during the heart training test as an indicator of CHD, is less accurate than men. Cardiac wave abnormalities, especially in the ST segment in women, have a worse sensitivity than their specificity (sensitivity ranges from 31% -71% and specificity is 66% -86%). Differences in the accuracy of ST segment depression in women and men can be caused by several factors:
- Women tend to have ST segment changes and T waves on their normal ECG
- Women tend to experience ST segment depression when conducting training test (16% vs 3% in men)
So, it can be concluded, if women do have more variations in heart waves before and during a heart training test. So that if a disorder is found, the person does not necessarily experience coronary heart disease.
Hormonal difference
As we all know, the hormone estrogen is more abundant in a woman's body than men. The hormone estrogen in women (natural or therapeutic) can cause a phenomenon called digoxin-like effect in the ST segment when doing exercises, so that abnormal results are obtained, even though the body condition is normal. Such results are called false positives.
Heart wave abnormalities during exercise in women who have not yet menopause can vary depending on the menstrual cycle. Menopausal women who get the oral estrogen hormone, tend to experience ST segment depression during exercise, but the results of heart catheters are normal, compared to women who did not get estrogen hormone replacement therapy.
Age difference
Women who carry out heart training tests are generally older, so the tolerance to exercise is lower. The ability to carry out training tests that can cause heart tissue to lack oxygen (ischemia) and changes in abnormal heart waves also decrease.
Those are the various differences in training tests for women and men. Heart training test ability to identify women with limited coronary heart disease. The results of the training test must be compared with other examination results to appropriately enforce coronary heart disease. Therefore, still consult your health condition with a specialist doctor.
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