ENERGY-EXPENDITURE DURING HOUSEHOLD TASKS IN WOMEN WITH CORONARY-ARTERY DISEASE

The energy expenditure for and heart rate responses to common househol d tasks were determined in 26 older (mean age 62 +/- 2 years) women wi th coronary artery disease (CAD). Each activity was performed at a sel f-determined pace for 6 or 8 minutes. The average oxygen uptake (ml/kg /min) for each task evaluated was 6.5 for washing dishes, 6.8 for iron ing, 7.2 for scrubbing pans, 8.6 for unpacking groceries, 9.5 for vacu uming, 9.8 for sweeping, 10.1 for mapping, 12.0 for changing bed linen s, and 12.4 for washing the floor (hands and knees). None of the subje cts reported angina. Mean relative oxygen uptake (i.e., percentage of peak response with treadmill testing) ranged from 31 +/- 2% for washin g dishes to 62 +/- 3% for changing the bed linens and washing the floo r. Percentage of peak treadmill heart rate ranged from 62 +/- 2% for w ashing dishes to 73 +/- 2% for washing the floor. In 4 of the more phy sically demanding household activities (i.e., vacuuming, mopping, wash ing the floor, and changing bed linens), the responses of 10 age-match ed normal women were evaluated. The absolute and relative demands of t he tasks were similar between the CAD and normal groups. Results indic ate that the mean energy expenditure rate of common household tasks ev aluated in this study range from 2 to 4 METs, suggesting that most wom en with CAD who are able to achieve greater than or equal to 5 METs du ring a treadmill exercise test without adverse signs or symptoms shoul d be able to resume these activities.