CARDIAC STRESS TESTS-ETT FINDINGS

SUMMARY

1. Positive ETT: ST-segment depression > 1 mm in 3 consecutive beats.2. ST depression is non-specific & does not correlate with the anatomic location of ischemia.
3. ST elevation in 3 contiguous leads without Q waves of prior MI is more specific for ischemia.
4. Individuals should be encouraged to go as long as tolerated after achieving target HR.
5. Exercise tolerance > 10 METS assoc. with a good prognosis independent of the degree of CAD.

5-YEAR SURVIVAL
6. Patients who are able to get to stage 4 of the Bruce protocol have 100% 5-year survival, whereas those who cannot get past stage 1 have 50% 5-year survival.

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].