Cardiometabolic testing · How long it takes
How long does the testing take?
A full assessment occupies most of a morning or an afternoon. A focused one can be under an hour. Which you are having is agreed before you book.
How long does each test take?
| Assessment | Approximate time |
|---|---|
| Intake, vitals, waist measurement, preparation check | 10 minutes |
| Body composition | 5 minutes |
| Vascular study, including the rest period | 20 minutes |
| Sudomotor assessment | 5 minutes |
| Autonomic testing with challenge maneuvers | 20 minutes |
| Measured metabolic rate | 15 minutes |
| Vestibular and balance battery | 25 minutes |
| Cognitive screen | 10 minutes |
| Blood draw, where laboratory work is ordered | 5 minutes |
| Reviewing the results with a clinician | 15 minutes |
How long does a focused panel take?
Most people come in with one question. Numb feet is a vascular study plus sudomotor testing plus a laboratory panel — under an hour of chair time. Leg cramping on walking is the vascular study alone. Unsteadiness is balance testing plus autonomic testing plus a cognitive screen. The full suite is for someone in the risk group who wants a complete baseline, not for everyone who walks in.
Where does the time go during testing?
Two places, and neither is the equipment. The first is rest periods — vascular and autonomic measurements taken on someone who has just hurried in from the parking lot are not the measurements anyone wanted. The second is coaching. A poorly performed breathing maneuver produces a trace that looks exactly like autonomic failure, so the person running the study will take the time to get it right and will repeat it if it is not.
How should you plan the day of testing?
If measured metabolic rate or laboratory work is in your plan, you will be fasting, so an early slot and a plan for breakfast afterward make the morning much more pleasant. If you are traveling from St. Charles County or another part of the region, doing the whole assessment in one visit usually beats splitting it. Directions and travel times.
Can you drive and go back to work after testing?
No sedation, no recovery period, no restriction on activity. You can drive, eat, work and exercise immediately.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a vascular study take?
About 20 minutes, including the rest period that comes first. If leg cramping on walking is your question, the vascular study alone may be all you need. Paired with sudomotor testing and a laboratory panel for numb feet, it is still under an hour of chair time.
How do I prepare for a vascular test?
Give yourself enough time that you are not rushing. Vascular measurements taken on someone who has just hurried in from the parking lot are not the measurements anyone wanted, which is why a rest period comes first. If measured metabolic rate or lab work is in your plan, you will be fasting, so pick an early slot and plan breakfast for afterward.
How long does testing for numb feet take?
Under an hour of chair time. Numb feet calls for a vascular study, sudomotor testing and a laboratory panel. Most people come in with one question like this, and a focused panel built around it is much shorter than the full assessment, which occupies most of a morning or an afternoon.
Related reading
Medically reviewed by Dr. Gurpreet Singh Padda, MD, MBA, MHP, medical director of Measura. Last reviewed .