Maximal Treadmill Stress Testing for Cardiovascular Evaluation

Ellestad, Myrvin H. M.D.
Allen, William M.D.
Wan, Maurice C. K. M.D.
Kemp, George L. M.D.

From the Division of Clinical Physiology, Memorial Hospital of Long Beach, Long Beach, California.

Circulation 39(4):p 517-522, April 1969.

Experience with a maximal treadmill stress testing procedure which is relatively safe, simple, and reproducible is reported. It has been used in normal persons and cardiac patients with ages ranging from 7 to 83 years. There have been no deaths in our total experience of 4,028 maximal capacity stress tests. Maximal capacity is predicted by the patient's peak predicted pulse rate. Sixty-three per cent of those with ischemic S-T segments did not experience pain of any type.