Application of six minute walk test in clinical practice

The six-minute walk test is a recommended, practical, simple test for preliminary assessment of functional capacity, effort tolerance, adaptation to activities of daily living. The aim of the study was to analyze and summarize the current knowledge of guidelines, application and usefulness of a six-minute walk test in clinical practice. On the basis of the leading publications and the latest reports, articles the basic scope of knowledge on the assessment of the functional exercise capacity based on a six- minute walk test was synthesiezed. A set of examples of the application of the test in clinical practice in cardiology, pulmonology, rehabilitation and on the interventional branches of medicine such as surgery is mentioned in publication. Analysis of current state of knowledge shows that the six- minute walk test is used in cardiology to assess functional exercise capacity, effort tolerance, course and effects of treatment of patients with cardiovascular diseases, including coronary heart disease, arterial hypertension, after pacemaker implantation and other cardiac operations. A similar application was found in pulmonology in patients with COPD, lung restrictive diseases, before and after surgeries. The six- minute walk test has found a wide application in clinical practice in assessing efficiency, exercise tolerance, effects of rehabilitation in cardiology, pulmonology and other branches of medicine. The test has been used for preoperative and postoperative evaluation, measuring the response to intervetions, rehabilitation. Due to its universality and the ability to reflect the actual state of functional capacity, tolerance of effort it can be used in other areas of medicine according to its indications.