Application of Medical Engineering for Exercise Tests and Management on Ischemic Heart Disease

Abstract

In the management of Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) patients the exercise tests are indispensable for the evaluation of severity, coronary reserve capacity or their functional capacities. In the case of cardiac rehabilitation, it is very important to gain the data about patients' cardiac activities (H.R., ECG, workload, etc) not only in the laboratory testing process but also in their daily lives directly. The latter is also the exercise test in the broad sense, and the need for such a test has been recognized by clinicians. We have been utilizing the H.R. value refering to ST, T changes on the exercise test to evaluate and control the IHD patients. Fortunately, by the aid of recent advances of the electronics, we have become able to devise so compact an apparatus as can be carried in their daily lives without worries. These are H.R. Alarm, H.R. Memo. and ECG Memo. In addition to them, the ergometer with a computer for treating the fundamental data in the rehabilitation program has been devised. The Check-Alarm-Training system (CATS) is composed of these apparatuses and considered to be very useful for the management of cardiac patients in their daily lives. © 1974, International Heart Journal Association. All rights reserved.