Cardiovascular Exercise & Rehabilitation Lab
The Exercise and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Laboratory is currently equipped with all top technology facilities to evaluate non-invasively parameters of functional cardiorespiratory and cardiac segmental and global function by echocardiographic imaging, at rest and with exercise using different methods: bicycle and treadmill. It also allows the evaluation of muscle strength, flexibility and coordination.
It is ideal to join in the same laboratory the possibility to evaluate at the same time peripheral and central cardiovascular system in humans, patients, apparently healthy individuals and athletes.
STAFF
The multidisciplinary highly motivated core staff offers expertise, training, access to equipment and performs analysis and interpretation of data.
CARDIORESPIRATORY TEST
Cardiorespiratory testing is the most objective method to quantify functional capacity, including cardiac, respiratory and muscle components. The cycle ergometer and treadmill offer different methods of exercise, according to the patients, the protocols, the muscle mass quantity involved, which enlarge the scope of investigation in this area. Also, ischemia or arrhythmias detection and evaluation is possible. Autonomic nervous function may be approached.
ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY
Echocardiography allows the quantification of systolic left and right ventricular function and diastolic left ventricular function with classic and more recent developed technology. It also extends to valvular, atrial and aortic root evaluation.
STRESS ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY
Exercise echocardiography allows to evaluate from a physiological point of view the response of cardiac function or valvular gradients to exercise. In specific cases, pharmachological intervention may be used as a stress test in alternative to exercise in selected cases.
INVESTIGATION DIRECTIONS
Physiological mechanisms of exercise, acute and chronic response to different exercise rehabilitation programs, safety and adherence to new protocols issues, like high intensity interval training, exercise in specific populations, methods of individual evaluation and testing of different tools linked to secondary prevention, exercise prescription and implementation are just some of the primary targets which are possible to correctly investigate in this laboratory. It is intended to collaborate transversally with other laboratories to potentiate specific knowledge, experience and ideas, which will exponentially improve investigation projects.