[Hemodynamic differences between maximal treadmill and bicycle ergometer test in coronary disease].

9 patients with diagnosis of coronary heart disease (CHD) and typical angina pectoris (AP) were studied by means of a multistage, symptom-limited treadmill test and a similar bicycle ergometer (bike)-test. The sequence of tests was determined by chance. Between the tests, the patients rested one hour. Oxygen uptake (vo2) was determined by the Douglas-bag-method, blood pressures were measured via catheters placed in a pulmonary and a brachial or radial artery, respectively. Cardiac output (Q) was calculated by the direct Fick principle. In all tests, with the exception of one bike-test, all patients were limited by AP. They attained high VO2 (mean 1316 ml/min) on the treadmill (TM) while on the TM their mean arterial blood pressure (BP) was significantly (P greater than 0.05), namely 10 mm Hg as an average, lower. Comparing the final minute -3 of the TM-test with the final minute -1 of the bike-test in 5 patients, we found heart rate (HR), BP and pressure rate product (HR times BP) lower on the TM (P greater than 0.05), whereas VO2 was the same. Patients, whose exercise performance is limited by angina pectoris on bike and TM, achieve higher VO2 on the treadmill, together with lower BP. This may be of clinical importance in exercise-testing and -training of patients with CHD.