The Electrocardiogram During Exercise

ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC (ECG) recording during exercise, employed for years by work physiologists, has only recently arrived on the scene of cardiovascular investigations in clinical, epidemiological, and sports medical areas. This has come about from interest in the import of ECG events observed during activity, from the improved safety provided by monitoring performance tests, and from technical innovations which have led to more convenience and better quality in recordings. The extension of investigations in this area and certain reasons of expediency have led to use of many nonstandard testing and monitoring procedures. These include nonstandard configurations of ECG electrodes across the chest, the upright posture, FM radio transmission of the ECG, numerous other developments in instrumentation, and different modes of imposing work stress. Standardization of method in exercise electrocardiography is not yet possible or desirable, because of rapid developments in quantitative cardiography and work physiology.1 Though it is not clear whether most of the nonstandard methods now used are desirable for the long run, they are nevertheless in use, and some quantitative base for the diagnostic and prognostic information sought from these methods is of interest. This report concerns a specific application in which nonstandard electrocardiography