Comparison of S-T segment changes on exercise testing with angiographic findings in patients with prior myocardial infarction.

Ninety-seven patients with a prior transmural myocardial infarction who underwent coronary angiography and treadmill stress testing were studied retrospectively to assess the reliability of the exercise electrocardiogram in detecting additional disease in patients with a prior infarction. In patients with a previous inferior wall infarction, the S-T response to the treadmill stress test had a high degree of sensitivity (87 percent) and specificity (90 percent) in detecting additional significant coronary artery disease. However, in patients with a previous anteroseptal wall infarction, the S-T response had much less sensitivity (52 percent), but the degree of specificity remained high (90 percent). In this group a positive test suggested the presence of ischemia in the lateral or inferoposterior region of the myocardium, or both. A negative S-T response was of little value in distinguishing among groups of patients with single or multiple vessel coronary artery disease. The presence of an anterior ventricular aneurysm is most likely responsible for this low sensitivity rate because it generates an opposing force to the ischemic vector, thereby cancelling the S-T segment changes and producing a false negative treadmill stress test. The resting surface electrocardiogram proved useful in predicting a false negative exercise test. The presence of Q waves in the precordial leads extending to lead V4 or beyond decreased the sensitivity rate of treadmill stress testing to 33 percent.