Stress testing predischarge and six weeks after myocardial infarction to compare submaximal and maximal exercise predischarge and to assess the reproducibility of induced abnormalities.

Submaximal and maximal treadmill exercise tests were performed predischarge in 64 patients after acute myocardial infarction to assess the relative yield of residual ischaemic abnormalities. The reproducibility of individual abnormalities resulting from maximal stress tests performed predischarge and 6 weeks after infarction was also assessed in 55 of these patients. Compared with predischarge submaximal exercise testing, a maximal exercise test identified a significantly greater number of patients with residual myocardial ischaemia (26 vs. 15, P less than 0.05) and this was associated with a significantly longer average maximal exercise duration (P less than 0.001), and a higher rate-pressure product (P less than 0.001). Among the 55 patients who had maximal stress tests both predischarge and 6 weeks after infarction, there was a significant lack of reproducibility in the occurrence of exercise induced angina (P less than 0.01) and an abnormal blood pressure response (P less than 0.02). In contrast, exercise induced ST segment depression and elevation and ventricular arrhythmias were relatively reproducible. More patients had an ischaemic test result (ST depression or angina) at the later test compared to the predischarge test (33 vs. 25 patients) but this increase was not statistically significant. There were, however, significant increases at the later test in mean maximal exercise duration (P less than 0.001). mean maximal heart rate (P less than 0.001) and heart rate-systolic blood pressure double product (P less than 0.001). The majority of patients who had a cardiac event in the period between the two tests had a predischarge test abnormality. We conclude that a significantly greater number of patients with residual reversible myocardial ischaemia after infarction will be identified by symptom limited exercise testing compared with a submaximal predischarge test. Because ST depression and elevation appear reproducible, patients who develop these abnormalities during a predischarge test do not, for prognostic reasons, need retesting 6 weeks after infarction. Exercise induced angina pectoris and an abnormal blood pressure response, however, are highly variable and in these patients a repeat test may be useful.