Exercise electrocardiograms: Code for their clinical evaluation

This report suggests the use of a simple clinical method of codification of the most significant electrocardiographic changes as a result of the exercise stress test. It uses common abbreviations in the evaluation of the electrocardiographic findings before, during and after exercise. The five major categories to be codified include: (1) the basic electrocardiographic pattern, (2) the heart rate, (3) the pattern of ventricular conduction, (4) the pattern of rhythm and (5) the ST segment deviation. The initial sequence of five symbols indicates the findings in the preexercise electrocardiogram. This is followed by the word "to" with a subscript number. The number in subscript indicates the peak heart rate achieved during the exercise. The sequence of symbols following "to[]" serves to indicate the electrocardiographic changes observed in the postexercise period. The data codified using this system have been found to be concise and easily comparable. The familiarity of the symbols used facilitates its learning and application.