Among the over forties crowd, it’s fairly common in Bermuda to hear of people having stress tests. Although the country is sold internationally as a place of rest and relaxation, for those of us who live and work here, that oftentimes is near impossible.

Most patients who visit Dr. Doherty have to undergo the stress test as it offers important information on the physical condition of the heart. More accurately, patients are hooked up to an electro-cardiogram (ECG) while they undergo an exercise tolerance test.

The ECG measures the electrical activity of the heart and can detect an array of heart conditions including arrhythmias, blockages in heart arteries and any muscle damage to the heart.

Eager to discover what it entailed, Dr. Doherty allowed me to take the test. I wore a pair of sneakers, shorts and a little T-shirt. While I’m not athletic and am a notorious sports hater, I consider myself to be in fairly good physical condition. I walk an average of four to five miles a day and I do that comfortably. I did no stretching or other physical preparation for the test.

When I arrived Dr. Doherty’s nurse Tara Oakhem brought me into the room where the test would take place. I had to remove my T-shirt. As she stuck the ten electrode leads on my chest and left side, she explained exactly what would take place. She first cleaned the area with alcohol to remove any oils and dead skin cells. This allows for the best possible connection. Next she rubbed an abrasive material over the same areas and then small dabs of a cream that she warned might burn a bit. It didn’t burn at all. The round patch electrodes were then attached on me and connected to the ECG. So far so good. I put my shirt back on and sat down.

She asked if I had any heart problems, high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol. Apart from low blood sugar, I answered: ‘no’. She asked about my exercise programme and I said I walk everyday. She asked if I had used a treadmill before and I said: ‘yes’. She took my blood pressure, which was normal at 120/80, and called the doctor to the room.

Dr. Doherty asked me more questions to ensure that my heart was fit enough to withstand the test and he listened to my heartbeat.

“I do that to exclude any heart valve lesion,” he said.

The exercise tolerance test carried out in the office is done on a treadmill. Patients walk until they reach 85 percent of their theoretical maximum heart rate or for nine minutes. The treadmill walk starts out slowly, warming you up. It then elevates so that you are walking at an incline gently then more steeply. Finally it descends for the cool down stretch before stopping.

I wasn’t afraid as I mounted and began. I held onto the rail and was able to ask questions of both Tara and Dr. Doherty who remains in the room as a safety precaution. Although they’ve never had any problems, emergency equipment including defibrillators is close at hand on a shelf.

Between my questions and their answers Tara periodically took my blood pressure. She said in some cases she does a constant blood pressure reading. Feeling my heart rate rising I cut down on my chatter to conserve energy and save face. It would be embarrassing to collapse. I was sweating and gone beyond feeling warm to being hot. I wanted to stop but I think I was probably only four minutes into it. I continued to walk. I looked at the reams of paper the machine was churning out with the needles charting the electrical activity of my heart. I tried to read it but I know nothing so I tried to read Dr. Doherty. He kept a steady eye on the chart. Was that a wrinkle in his brow? Did he see an abnormality? Why is he moving closer to the machine? Is it really that concerning? I was fine when I came in here, am I going to find I have a heart problem?

About six minutes into the programme I asked how older people fare. They explained that the test is modified to the physical condition and age of each patient. I was operating at stage one, where I walked at a rate of 1.7 miles per hour at a 10 percent incline. A significantly older and/or weaker patient might be tested at the same walk rate but with absolutely no hill or a less steep incline.

I carried on for about another minute then reported that I was tired and asked how much longer I had. Dr. Doherty looked concerned but told me I had almost finished, so I kept at it and after about 40 seconds they said I’d done enough. I felt I had.

I stayed connected to the machine for about another minute. Tara took my blood pressure again. Dr. Doherty looked at the readout and said there was some abnormality in my ‘at rest’ levels but that most likely there was nothing amiss. He suggested I inform my GP and said he would forward the chart to him.

I came off the treadmill and the round electrode patches were ripped off. It didn’t hurt or pinch. Still breathing heavily, I was told to sit down and my blood pressure was taken again. Tara took it a few more times and I was not allowed to leave until it came back to normal. About two to three minutes later my normal blood pressure was reached and I was free to go.

I felt physically and mentally fine unperturbed at my abnormal ‘at rest’ readings, ready to continue with my day’s activities.