The Heart Failure and Transplant program at the University of Pennsylvania describes the VO2 test used by physicians. "The VO2 is an exercise test in which a patient walks on a treadmill. The patient is outfitted with a mouthpiece that measures the amount of oxygen the body is using during exercise. It can determine how well the heart muscle is delivering oxygen to the muscles of the body in order to do work. If the heart muscle is weak, and the body tries to exercise, the heart may not be able to keep up with the stressful demand and deliver enough oxygen rich blood to muscles. The test measures a patient's ability to function (their functional capacity to live and work)."
It is this test which physicians use to determine which treatment should be followed: heart transplant or ventricular assist device.
This new study has found that men and women differ when taking the VO2 test, and it recommends that gender differences be considered when making decisions about treatment.
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