Bruce protocol

Article summary

The Bruce protocol is a standardized diagnostic test used in the evaluation of cardiac function and physical fitness, developed by American cardiologist Robert A. Bruce. According to the original Bruce protocol the patient walks on an uphill treadmill in a graded exercise test with electrodes on the chest to monitor. Every 3 min the speed & incline of the treadmill are increased. There are 7 such stages and only very fit athletes can complete all 7 stages. The modified Bruce Protocol is an alteration in the protocol so that the treadmill is initially horizontal rather than uphill, with the 1st few intervals increasing the treadmill slope only. The Bruce treadmill test estimates maximum oxygen uptake using a formula and the performance of the subject on a treadmill as the workload is increased. The test is easy to perform in a medical office setting, does not require extensive training or expensive equipment, and it has been validated as a strong predictor of clinical outcomes.

Key claims

1. publication date: 1949 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
2. publication date: 1963 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
2. The record states that the publication date is "1949". What evidence would count against this claim?
3. The record states that the publication date is "1963". What evidence would count against this claim?
4. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
5. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1333510161