Incidence and prognostic implications of severe ventricular arrhythmias during maximal exercise testing.
Among 7,500 consecutive maximal exercise tests (MET), we have observed 6 cases of ventricular fibrillation (VF) and 40 cases of ventricular tachycardia (VT); 13 patients had a sustained VT and 27 patients had a single short run of VT. No patient died immediately but 11 patients died during the follow-up. The prognosis was determined by the underlying disease (most often coronary artery disease) and the type of arrhythmia. The 5-year survival rate was 84% in patients with a short run of VT and only 43% in patients with VF or sustained VT.
D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000209:etiology; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology