For patients
How to prepare for Measura testing
Preparation matters more than usual here, because several of these assessments measure physiology that food, caffeine, nicotine and medication move around.
The day before
- Avoid alcohol for 24 hours. It changes heart rate variability measurably.
- Keep to your usual sleep. A short night lowers the same measurements a disease would.
- Do not do unusually heavy exercise. Vigorous training shifts autonomic readings for a day or more.
The morning of
- Fast if you have been asked to. Metabolic rate measurement and most laboratory panels require an overnight fast — water is fine and encouraged.
- No caffeine. Coffee, tea, energy drinks and pre-workout supplements all alter heart rate variability and vascular tone for hours.
- No nicotine. Smoking or vaping shortly before a vascular study constricts the vessels you are trying to measure.
- Drink water. Dehydration lowers blood pressure on standing and can make an autonomic result look worse than it is.
What to wear
Loose clothing with sleeves that push above the elbow and trousers that roll above the knee. Cuffs go directly on the skin of both arms and both ankles. Bring socks you do not mind removing — the sudomotor plates and the toe sensor need bare feet.
Medication
Do not stop anything without being told to. Bring a complete list instead, including doses and timing. Several common medications change these measurements, and the person reading the report needs to know which ones you are on rather than have you guess.
Classes that matter most: beta-blockers and other blood pressure medications, diuretics, anticholinergics, antidepressants, medications for overactive bladder, and anything that causes dry mouth. Supplements count too.
Bring with you
- Photo identification and your insurance card.
- The medication and supplement list.
- Recent laboratory results if you have them, especially glucose, HbA1c and lipids.
- Your glasses and hearing aids — both are needed for cognitive and balance testing.
- The name and address of the clinician who should receive the report.
If you use a pacemaker, an implanted defibrillator or another implanted electrical device, tell us when you book. If you are pregnant, tell us as well — several assessments are adjusted.
Talk to someone about testing
Tell us what you are trying to find out and we will explain which Measura assessments answer that question, what each one involves, and how the results are reviewed with a clinician.
4477 Woodson Rd, Suite 201, St. Louis, MO 63134. Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please do not send symptoms, diagnoses or images through a web form — a website form is not a secure medical channel. Call us with clinical detail.
Common questions
Can I take my blood pressure medication that morning?
Ask when you book rather than deciding on your own, and never skip a dose unprompted. What happens before your appointment.
What if I forget and drink coffee?
Tell us. Some assessments can be rescheduled within the same visit; others are simply annotated so the reading is interpreted correctly. Why context changes a result.
Do I have to fast for the whole assessment?
Only for metabolic rate measurement and laboratory work. Those are scheduled first so you can eat afterwards. Why measured metabolic rate needs a fast.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Gurpreet Singh Padda, MD, MBA, MHP, medical director of Measura. Last reviewed .