Reproducibility of exercise tests in patients with symptomatic ischaemic heart disease

Abstract

In 50 patients with ischaemic heart disease prospective analyses of the reproducibility of exercise tests at 3- month intervals were performed. The same method of testing was used repeatedly in a smaller group of patients 3 or more times at 6- to 8-week intervals. No sigmficant differences were found in maximal heart rate, maximal systolic blood pressure, rate-pressure product, and total work. Symptoms resulting in the discontinuation of exercise were unchanged in 94 per cent of patients. The evaluation of the electrocardiographic recordings revealed good agreement in ST segment depression and ST segment elevation. The reproducibility of arrhythmic events was very poor. The standardized electrocardiographic exercise test is, therefore, recommended for objective evaluation of various interventions in patients with manifest ischaemic heart disease, both in short-term and long-term follow-up studies.