The Maximal Exercise Treadmill Stress Test, Current Uses and Limitations in Coronary Artery Disease,
Abstract
Considerable controversy surrounds the clinical value of exercise stress testing, particularly in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). For example, ECG ST segment depression during exercise (the classic criterion for a positive test) may have only limited diagnostic worth in a population with low disease prevalence. Conversely, a negative test result may have questionable value in a population with high disease prevalence. On the other hand, ST segment measurement represents only one important observation that can be made during the test procedure: increased predictive accuracy for CAD may result if additional clinical patient responses (e.g., blood pressure) are considered along with ECG interpretation. A review of recent literature indicates that a critical evaluation of the clinical importance of exercise stress testing continues. This paper presents current applications and limitations of exercise stress testing in CAD, and examines the predictive accuracy of this diagnostic approach. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1982
- Accession Number
- ADA121748
Entities
People
- W. F. Lewis
Organizations
- DRDC Toronto