1993 Volume 54 Issue 3 Pages 627-630
In 20 patients admitted to the hospital to receive operation for arteriosclerosis obliterance (ASO), the screening of coronary artery diseases was conducted by using upper body exercise (UBE) ECG. UBE was discontinued in seven patients (35%) because of arm fatigue. The remaining 13 patients reached to sub-maximal heart rate (70% of predicted maximal heart rate according to the reference of American Heart Association). There was no correlation in age and sex between the patient groups with failed and completed examination. In three of thirteen patients, ECG revealed ST-T depression. In another one patient whose pre-exercise ECG was within normal limits, ECG changed to incomplete right bundle branch block after exercise. Selective coronary angiography was performed on all of these four patients. All four patients had coronary stenosis (75% stenosis or more). Though there was no case in which revascularization of the lower extremities preceeded by heart revascularization, strict management of hemodynamics during and around operation assured the safety for the former operation. In conclusion, UBE is useful for the screening of coronary artery diseases in the patient with ASO.
