1. What is the Bruce Protocol METs Score?

The Bruce Protocol is a treadmill test used to assess cardiovascular health and exercise capacity. METs (Metabolic Equivalents) measure exercise intensity, with 1 MET being the energy expended at rest.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Bruce Protocol equation:

Where:

• \( T \) — Exercise time in minutes during Bruce protocol test

Explanation: The equation calculates estimated METs based on how long a patient can continue the Bruce protocol treadmill test.

3. Importance of METs Calculation

Details: METs scores help assess cardiovascular fitness, guide exercise prescriptions, and evaluate prognosis in cardiac patients. Higher METs scores indicate better cardiovascular fitness.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the total time (in minutes) the patient was able to continue the Bruce protocol treadmill test. The time should be greater than 0.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is a good METs score?
A: Generally, <5 METs is poor, 5-8 is fair, 8-10 is good, and >10 is excellent for most adults.

Q2: How does the Bruce protocol work?
A: It's a graded exercise test where treadmill speed and incline increase every 3 minutes until exhaustion.

Q3: What are METs used for?
A: METs quantify exercise intensity and are used to prescribe exercise, assess functional capacity, and predict cardiovascular risk.

Q4: Are there limitations to this equation?
A: The equation is specific to the Bruce protocol and doesn't apply to other exercise tests. Accuracy depends on proper test administration.

Q5: Can this be used for all patients?
A: The Bruce protocol may be too strenuous for some patients; modified protocols exist for those with lower fitness levels.