Reference values for bicycle exercise tests in patients with various degrees of ischaemic heart disease

This investigation was carried out in an effort to analyze the influence of various degrees of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) on cardiovascular and physical performance. Assessment of the severity of IHD was based on observations obtained routinely during exercise tests (ST segment response and systolic blood pressure response). The study group included 926 subjects with known or suspected IHD, who were referred for an exercise testing; 268 females, mean age 54 years (range 19-89 years), and 658 males, mean age 52 years (range 16-88 years). We found that increasing IHD severity was associated with significant reductions of cardiovascular performance. The mean maximum work-load (MWL) was lower in females than in males, and MWL as well as mean maximum heart rate (MHR) and mean maximum change in systolic blood pressure (M delta SBP) decreased with increasing IHD and age. The present results may be used to assess the cardiovascular response to exercise in patients with IHD so that altered responses due to causes other than IHD may be identified. Furthermore the result may prove useful in the adjustment of rate responsive pacemakers (RRP) in patients with IHD.