[Exercise test in women with abnormal ecg (author's transl)]. / Il test ergometrico in donne con elettrocardiogramma a riposo alterato.

ABSTRACT

114 women with abnormal resting electrocardiograms underwent exercise test on bicycle ergometry; they were grouped as follows --group I 40 asymptomatic females; --group II 67 cases with atypical chest pain; --group III 7 cases with typical angina. The exercise test was always maximal or submaximal SL. The only criteria used for positive stress was a 1 mm or more ischemic ST segment depression below the resting level, for at least 0.08 sec. The test was positive in 11 subjects (10.7%) 5 women of group II (7.5%) and 6 of group III (85.7%). Our results suggest that repolarisation abnormalities, not caused by hypertrophy, conduction disturbances and drugs, do not modify the outcomes of stress test. Ischemic patterns during exercise test are more frequently seen when flat or diphasic T waves are present in control ECG. In the majority of patients in all groups the T wave either does not change or becomes more positive or less negative after exercise. A greater prevalence of resting hypertension and arrhythmias is present in patients with positive tests.