Informed Consent & Pre-Exercise Health Screening

25 Question-and-Answer flashcards covering key points on pre-exercise health screening, risk stratification, informed consent, and fitness testing based on the lecture notes.

What three steps should be completed before enrolling in an exercise program?

Pre-exercise health screening, informed consent, and fitness testing.

Name five items that a comprehensive medical/health questionnaire should include.

Medical diagnosis; previous physical-exam findings; history of symptoms; recent illness, hospitalization, new diagnosis or surgery; orthopedic problems; medication use and allergies; lifestyle habits; exercise and work history; family history of disease.

What is the primary purpose of the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q)?

To quickly screen large groups for exercise readiness and refer anyone who answers “yes” to a question to their physician.

What are the three ACSM risk-stratification categories?

Low risk, moderate risk, and high risk.

Which conditions automatically place an individual in the high-risk category?

Known cardiovascular, pulmonary, or metabolic disease, or the presence of one or more major signs or symptoms suggestive of such disease.

At what ages do men and women move into the moderate-risk category if no other criteria are met?

Men ≥45 years; women ≥55 years.

List four major signs or symptoms suggestive of cardiovascular, pulmonary, or metabolic disease.

Chest/neck/jaw/arm pain due to ischemia; shortness of breath at rest or mild exertion; dizziness or syncope; orthopnea or paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea; ankle edema; palpitations or tachycardia; intermittent claudication; known heart murmur; unusual fatigue or shortness of breath with usual activities.

Identify six positive CAD risk factors counted in ACSM risk stratification.

Family history; cigarette smoking; hypertension; dyslipidemia/hypercholesterolemia; impaired fasting glucose (pre-diabetes); obesity; sedentary lifestyle.

What HDL cholesterol level is considered a negative risk factor that allows subtraction of one risk factor?

HDL ≥ 60 mg/dL.

State two reasons why pre-exercise assessments and risk stratification are important.

They assure participant safety, help diagnose potential cardiovascular disease, assess heart and lung fitness, provide baseline data, and build rapport.

Who can generally begin moderate-intensity exercise (40–60 % VO₂ max) without medical evaluation?

Most individuals without known serious disease.

What should you do when uncertain about an individual’s readiness to exercise?

Obtain medical clearance.

Define informed consent in the context of exercise testing.

A knowing, voluntary agreement by a participant (or authorized representative) to undergo procedures, free of coercion, after being informed of associated risks and benefits.

List four elements that every informed-consent form must contain.

Program background/objectives; explanation of procedures; description of risks; description of expected benefits; offer to answer questions; right to withdraw at any time; explanation of confidentiality procedures; signature with witness.

What is validity in fitness testing?

The degree to which a test measures what it is intended to measure.

What is reliability in fitness testing?

The repeatability of a test’s results when administered multiple times or by different testers.

What are norms in the context of fitness testing?

Reference achievement levels of a specific group used to interpret and evaluate individual test scores.

Give three pre-test instructions commonly recommended to participants before fitness testing.

Avoid eating or drinking for 3 hours; avoid alcohol, tobacco, and coffee for at least 3 hours; avoid exercise the day of the test; wear proper attire; get adequate sleep; fast 12 hours before blood draws; maintain usual medication use.

What BMI and waist circumference values classify obesity as a risk factor?

BMI ≥ 30 kg/m² or waist girth > 100 cm.

What fasting blood glucose level defines impaired fasting glucose as a risk factor?

≥ 110 mg/dL on at least two occasions.

Name two pulmonary diseases that place an individual in the high-risk category.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma (also interstitial lung disease or cystic fibrosis).

What blood pressure values constitute the hypertension risk factor?

Systolic ≥ 140 mm Hg or diastolic ≥ 90 mm Hg on two occasions, or current use of antihypertensive medication.

Define intermittent claudication.

Leg pain and lameness brought on by walking due to inadequate blood flow and oxygen to the muscles.

What is paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea?

Sudden difficulty breathing that awakens a person after 1–2 hours of sleep.

What qualities make a fitness test economical?

Ease of administration, inexpensive equipment, limited time requirements, and simple procedures.