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TMT Test Normal Range

The heart is a vital organ that ensures the other organs are working properly. Any irregularities in the heart and its rhythm due to stress can cause serious issues. But, avoiding stress is impossible given the fast-paced life that we are leading. Eating healthy every day or maintaining a proper calorie count becomes difficult.

One test that usually helps determine the heart’s health and capability to handle stress is the TMT test. The TMT test normal range does vary from lab to lab and also on criteria like age and gender. The following article will help you understand more about what is tmt test and what its results indicate.

What is the TMT Test

TMT or treadmill test, also known as the cardiac stress test, is a test that is conducted to diagnose the capability of the heart to handle stress before it starts beating irregularly. The test is called so because you are made to run on a treadmill at a certain speed with ECG (electrocardiogram) electrodes attached to your chest to monitor the heart rate. When you are running, your heartbeat starts to rise after a certain threshold is crossed. This threshold for sustaining stress determines if you need to make any changes in your lifestyle. Hence, the tmt test normal range will put you in the ease of mind that your heart is functioning properly and your arteries are not blocked.

Why the TMT Test is Done

As mentioned above, stress is part and parcel of our life. But, some people are born with certain genetic conditions that weaken the heart from an early age. Symptoms lead to the TMT test being prescribed by a doctor. The tmt test normal range helps patients easily understand that something might be wrong, and they can take the required precautions.

The TMT test is prescribed by doctors for the following reasons:

Inflammation or damage to the coronary arteries caused by cholesterol or other substances accumulating (plaques)
Inappropriate coordination of electrical impulses that can cause cardiac arrhythmias
Developing the treatment plan for heart disease
Cardiovascular health diagnosis for elderly people
Added to the routine test for people suffering from diabetes

The most common condition that needs the TMT test done is the coronary artery disease or CAD. The following are the symptoms associated with CAD:

Angina or chest pain
Fatigue
Shortness of breath or breathlessness
Palpitations of the heart
Lethargy and tiredness
Feeling lightheaded
Nausea
Constant dull ache in the chest

If left untreated, CAD can lead to massive myocardial infarction or heart attack.

Process for Conducting the TMT Test for Heart

The test is simply not having you plugged into an ECG machine and letting you run on a treadmill. There are some stages for conducting the tests. Before the actual test, your resting heart rate and the ECG reading are recorded. The blood pressure and any history of heart conditions are also recorded. Once these readings are done, you are told to step on the treadmill, and a pace is set. You are then told to walk at that determined pace. The speed and slope are increased every three minutes until the heart starts to record irregularities under stress, and the patient conveys symptoms like palpitations and a heavy feeling in the chest. Once all the parameters are recorded, the tmt test normal range is checked with the results.

Which Test is Better: TMT or 2d Echo

2D Echocardiography or 2D Echo is a test that monitors the heart via ultrasound. A cross-sectional view of the heart is shown, and each chamber is individually checked to find any blockages or irregularities in the shape of the heart. Additionally, the 2D Echo diagnoses the following:

Chamber size, volume, and wall thickness
Pumping function, if it is normal or reduced to a mild/severe degree
The structure, thickness, and movement of valves in the heart
Volume status as low blood pressure may occur as a result of poor heart function
Fluid in the pericardium and the sac surrounding the heart, blood clots or tumors, abnormal pulmonary pressure, etc.

Both TMT and 2d Echo are essential to understand the functioning of the heart. The key difference is that the 2D Echo is usually prescribed before the cardiac stress test. This is because once the cause of coronary artery disease is determined, the stress test determines if immediate surgery should be prescribed or not.

Risks Associated with the TMT Test

The TMT test is usually safe and carries a one percent chance of any fatality occurring. That said, since you are placed under elevated stress to monitor your heart functioning, there are chances that the following can occur:

Angina
Breathlessness
Arrhythmia
Cardiac arrest

In extreme cases, you can even die if you have been asymptomatic and not know the condition of your heart better and the previous history of inherited or past cardiac arrest is also not recorded. This is why the following people are never advised to get a TMT test:

Suffered a heart attack in the last 48 hours
Uncontrolled and very high blood pressure (more than 200/110 mm hg)
Unstable angina
Uncontrolled arrhythmia or tachycardia
Severe aortic stenosis
Pulmonary embolism
Weak and extremely ill patient
Advanced COPD

Precautions You Should Take Before Undergoing TMT

While having a tmt test normal range is desired, it can be difficult to actually undergo through the procedure. Before you are going for your scheduled TMT test, certain precautions should be observed to ensure that the TMT normal range is not hampered. These precautions are:

You can drink water, but you should observe fasting; at least one meal should be skipped
If you are on certain medicines for blood pressure, you need to consult your doctor as to for how long you should stop the medication
Avoid drinks that have high caffeine content
Your blood sugar level should be normal
Schedule the test with some time to practice brisk walking
If you are an asthma patient, you need to carry your inhaler and inform the doctors of the same

Meaning of the TMT Test Result

When the test is for checking tmt test normal range is conducted, the following parameters are observed:

The blood flow remains normal throughout the stress test
Resting blood flow is normal but is alleviated when the workout begins to indicate blocked artery
The blood flow lowers when exercising to indicate possible coronary artery disease
Possible tissue damage as certain parts are not dyed

In order to calculate the tmt test normal range you need to subtract your age from the number 220. The TMT test normal range is measured in metabolic equivalents or METS. The normal range of the tmt test is between 5 METS and 8 METS.

The following table indicates the peak heart rate and what it implies:

Peak Heart Rate	Indication
less than 12 beats per minute (bpm) in a walking recovery	Abnormal
more than 12 bpm in a walking recovery	Normal
less than 18 bpm in recovery lying on back	Abnormal
more than 18 bpm in recovery lying on back	Normal

The METS reading also determines the condition of your heart and overall health.

METS Reading	Possible Indication
Under 5 METS (also be due to the inability to exercise for 6 minutes or raise the heart rate to 85% of maximum)	Poor
5 METS to 8 METS	Fair
9 METS to 11 METS	Good
Over 12 METS	Excellent with a great life expectancy

Conclusion

The treadmill test or TMT is a reliable and non-invasive stress test that helps doctors understand whether you are at a greater risk of developing serious cardiovascular conditions. If you already suffer from coronary artery disease, then this test is essential to monitor the condition’s progress and go forward with specific treatment. But, being a test that relies on putting your body under controlled stress, you have to make sure that you follow the precautionary notes and always inform your doctors of any serious heart or lung conditions.

FAQs

What does a positive TMT test indicate?

A positive TMT test result indicates that the stressful situation is causing your angina to fluctuate. It can also indicate that you might be suffering from ischemic heart disease.

What does a negative TMT test indicate?

The negative tmt test is roughly the normal tmt test result that indicates that you do not have any blockage in your arteries or other heart conditions.

When is the TMT test made mandatory?

The tmt test is made mandatory for people who show symptoms that indicate they might be sufferingf from angina, had a previous history of cardiac arrest, or have undergone a bypass surgery or an angioplasty.