Continuous electrocardiography recording at examination of walking capacity in patients with intermittent...

A treadmill test with increasing "walk-work" load and continuous electrocardiographic monitoring has been used in 245 patients with intermittent claudication. It was found that many patients underestimated their walking capacity. No good correlation was obtained between the observed walking capacity and the systolic blood pressure in the toes. Pathological electrocardiograms were found at rest in 36 per cent of the patients. Additional pathological ecg-reactions indicative for ischaemic heart disease appeared during the tests in 34 percent of the patients. Around 10 per cent of the tests had to be interrupted because of threatening ecg changes.