ABI Stress-Treadmill Exam
ABI Stress-Treadmill Exam
A structured treadmill-based vascular stress test that quantifies PAD severity, captures claudication onset time, and monitors pressure recovery — providing the most clinically detailed picture of functional arterial disease.
Sample Report
The Functional Gold Standard for PAD Severity
While resting and post-exercise ABI confirm the presence of PAD, the treadmill stress exam quantifies how much the disease is limiting the patient. Maximum walking time, the point at which claudication begins, and the time required for pressure to recover after stopping all provide objective functional data that resting exams cannot.
This information is directly useful for treatment decisions, referral timing, and tracking the effectiveness of intervention — whether medical, rehabilitative, or surgical.
How It Works
The exam uses a standardized treadmill protocol (typically 3.2 km/h at 12% grade) with cuffs remaining in place throughout walking and recovery.
Baseline Resting ABI
Full bilateral resting ABI with PVR waveforms captured before the patient begins walking. Establishes the pre-stress baseline.
Treadmill Walking Protocol
Patient walks at a defined speed and incline. Staff records maximum walking time, onset of claudication symptoms, and reason for stopping.
Serial Recovery Readings
Post-treadmill ABI captured at 1, 3, 5, and 10 minutes after stopping. Pressure recovery curve and recovery time documented in the full report.
When to Order This Exam
Normal resting ABI with exertional symptoms
Objective documentation of claudication severity
Functional assessment before and after revascularization
Supervised exercise therapy program enrollment or monitoring
Disability or pre-surgical functional assessment
Differentiating vascular from orthopedic or neurogenic causes
Available On
Treadmill stress testing requires a system with full exercise/stress protocol support.
Documents
- ABI Stress-Treadmill Procedure
- Sample Stress-Treadmill Report — full output example
Training Videos
Questions About This Exam?
Schedule a 30-minute consultation. We'll walk through the protocol, the report output, and which system fits your workflow.