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Climbing four flights of stairs in less than a minute indicates good heart health.
"The stairs test is an easy way to check your heart health," - Jesus Peteiro, study author.
"If it takes you more than one and a half minutes to ascend four flights of stairs, it would be a good idea to consult a doctor." Dr. Peteiro.
Exercise capacity was measured as metabolic equivalents (METs).
Patients were asked to climb four flights of stairs (60 stairs) at a fast pace without stopping, but also without running.
Analyzed the relationship between METs achieved and the time it took to climb four flights of stairs.
Patients who climbed the stairs under 40 to 45 seconds achieved more than 9-10 METs with a low mortality rate (1% or less per year).
During the treadmill test, researchers also generated images of the heart.
58% of patients who climbed the stairs in more than 1.5 minutes had abnormal heart function.
Research presented at scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology.
