Cardiovascular conditions and worker fitness and risk.

Given that many cardiac events can be exacerbated by nonexertional (psychological or social) activities, it is very difficult to extrapolate directly from a negative stress test to absence of risk or to presence of potential disease. Therefore, in general, the best form of cardiovascular evaluation is direct observation by the clinician of the patient on the job, or careful review of AEM obtained while the person performs the job. These caveats apply equally to evaluation of the asymptomatic as well as the symptomatic individual.