Hypoxaemic precordial ST mapping in the diagnosis of coronary insufficiency.

Hypoxaemic precordial ST mapping was compared with precordial exercise mapping in a group of 64 patients. During hypoxaemia, IHD patients show ischaemic changes in ST maps similar to those found in exercise maps, and a significant increase in the sums of ST depressions. The test can be recommended to detect coronary insufficiency in cases where the exercise ECG test is not feasible or available, and to expand the arsenal of non-invasive diagnostic procedures. The physical exercise test, however, remains the strongest test for ECG detection of myocardial ischaemia.