CARDIAC STRESS TESTS-CONTRAINDICATIONS TO STRESS TESTS
SUMMARY
1. Patients unable to exercise sufficiently (must achieve 85% of age-predicted maximum HR)
2. Baseline ECG abnormalities that can interfere with interpretation (LVH, LBBB, WPW, ST depression, ventricular pacing), or taking digoxin
RECENT EVENTS
3. Acute MI within 2 days
4. Acute pulmonary embolus or infarction
5. Acute myocarditis or pericarditis
6. Acute aortic dissection
UNCONTROLLED CONDITIONS
7. Unstable angina not previously stabilized by medical therapy
8. Uncontrolled arrhythmias, 3rd degree heart block causing symptoms or hemodynamic compromise
9. Symptomatic severe aortic stenosis
10. Uncontrolled symptomatic heart failure
Reference(s)
Wilkinson, I., Furmedge, D. and Sinharay, R. (2017). Oxford handbook of clinical medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Get it on Amazon.
Feather, A., Randall, D. and Waterhouse, M. (2020). Kumar And Clark’s Clinical Medicine. 10th ed. S.L.: Elsevier Health Sciences. Get it on Amazon.
Hannaman, R. A., Bullock, L., Hatchell, C. A., & Yoffe, M. (2016). Internal medicine review core curriculum, 2017-2018. CO Springs, CO: MedStudy.
Therapeutic Guidelines. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. https://www.tg.org.au [Accessed 2021].