Welch Allyn CardioPerfect Workstation Exercise ECG Module - User Manual - Manual (Page 58)

CardioPerfect Workstation
Exercise ECG Module - User Manual
DIR 80012335 Ver. E 58 / 83
8. Customize exercise protocols
8.1 Protocols, phases and stages
A protocol is a set of predefined rules and conventions of how a test is structured. With the
Protocol editor, you can create protocols for
The structure of a treadmill test.
The structure of an ergometer test.
The points in time at which the blood pressure is automatically measured or the
points in time when a Blood Pressure prompt will appear.
The points in time at which a copy of the test is automatically printed.
The protocol editor is available from the Tools menu, when an Exercise ECG is displayed, or
when Exercise ECG is opened from the File
– Open menu.
Phases
Each protocol contains four phases:
Pre-test: this phase is normally used to allow the patient to get accustomed to the
exercise device, and to record reference resting ECGs
Exercise: during this phase the exercise portion test takes place.
Recovery: during this phase the patient is allowed to recover from the test, monitoring
of the patient continues
Post-test: the phase in which any post-test activity measurements take place.
Monitoring of the patient continues
A protocol does not necessarily need to use all four phases. Many protocols use only the
Exercise and the Recovery phases. Regardless of the phases selected, every patient
heartbeat is recorded from the beginning of the test until the end
Stages
Each phase in a protocol consists of a number of stages. There is no limit as to the number of
stages that make up a phase.
8.2 Exercise Protocols overview
All commands which allow editing or creating a protocol are available through right mouse
button menus. There are four kinds of protocols:
Ergometer protocols
Treadmill protocols
Blood pressure protocols
Printer protocols
Normally you will create the exercise device (ergometer or treadmill) protocol first, and then
ensure that the blood pressure and printer protocols are consistent with the exercise device
protocol.
The following sections give an overview of the exercise device protocols. There are special
variables that you can use to make the exercise device protocol quite sophisticated and
flexible. These variables are also defined in the following sections:
8.2.1. Ergometer protocols
An ergometer protocol is a collection of stages that together define the ergometer test. For
each stage in an ergometer protocol, you need to specify the name, duration, repetition, load
and maximum load. The Protocol editor automatically generates a stage name; this name can
be changed.