The Exercise Test in Diabetic Patients as Studied by Radioelectrocardiography

Pathological, clinical, and epidemiological studies have shown that in diabetic subjects, the incidence of coronary heart disease is higher than in a nondiabetic population. In a group of 85 diabetic subjects free of clinical evidence of heart disease and exhibiting no significant abnormality in the resting electrocardiogram, an exercise electrocardiographic test was performed. In 22.3% results of the exercise test were positive; in similar studies of nondiabetic subjects, using the same technique and criteria, the incidence of positive electrocardiographic exercise tests ranged from 8 to 12%. Since a positive exercise test is usually associated with latent coronary artery disease, such findings would be considered of importance in the diagnosis and for following the evolution of this disease. It is suggested that the exercise test be performed routinely in diabetic subjects. By this means, coronary heart disease may be detected in the asymptomatic stage; this is particularly important for diabetic subjects, in whom even advanced coronary heart disease may be clinically silent.