Treadmill exercise testing of asymptomatic men and women without evidence of heart disease

Abstract

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis of differences in performance including differences in ST-T wave changes between healthy men and women submitted to an exercise stress test. Two hundred (45.4%) men and 241 (54.6%) women (mean age: 38.7 ± 11.0 years) were submitted to an exercise stress test. Physiologic and electrocardiographic variables were compared by the Student t-test and the chi-square test. To test the hypothesis of differences in ST-segment changes, data were ranked with functional models based on weighted least squares. To evaluate the influence of gender and age on the diagnosis of ST-segment abnormality, a logistic model was adjusted; P < 0.05 was considered to be significant. Rate-pressure product, duration of exercise and estimated functional capacity were higher in men (P < 0.05). Sixteen (6.7%) women and 9 (4.5%) men demonstrated ST-segment upslope &#8805;0.15 mV or downslope &#8805;0.10 mV; the difference was not statistically significant. Age increase of one year added 4% to the chance of upsloping of segment ST &#8805;0.15 mV or downsloping of segment ST &#8805;0.1 mV (P = 0.03; risk ratio = 1.040, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.002-1.080). Heart rate recovery was higher in women (P < 0.05). The chance of women showing an increase of systolic blood pressure &#8804;30 mmHg was 85% higher (P = 0.01; risk ratio = 1.85, 95%CI = 1.1-3.05). No significant difference in the frequency of ST-T wave changes was observed between men and women. Other differences may be related to different physical conditioning

Heart Rate Response and Chronotropic Incompetence in Exercise Stress Testing of Asymptomatic Women

“…Chronotropic incompetence as estimated by the expression derived in this study made the statistical modeling a better fit to evaluate the association with all-cause mortality. Interestingly, our observation of a smaller sample of asymptomatic women with no evidence of heart disease after clinical and laboratory examination submitted to exercise stress testing did not demonstrate a significant difference in peak heart rate reached during exercise by women relative to men [5]. Furthermore, vascular function evaluated by forearm blood flow in asymptomatic individuals without any evidence of heart disease submitted to isometric exercise (e.g., handgrip) was lower in women and decreased as BMI increased [6].…”

Resposta cardiovascular ao teste ergométrico e a capacidade vasodilatadora periférica quanto a polimorfismos genéticos da enzima sintetase do óxido nítrico endotelial e dos receptores alfa-adrenérgicos

“…[Chalela et al, 2009]. A idade média foi de 38,72 anos (desvio padrão 10,98) e a capacidade funcional média foi estimada em 11,4 METS (desvio padrão 2,34).…”