Resting and Postexercise Digital Plethysmogram and Electrocardiogram in Patients With Ischemic Heart Disease

To asses the cardiocirculatory response to exercise in patients with ischemic heart disease, simultaneous digital plethysmograms and electrocardiograms were taken at rest and after a double Master's two step test. Patients were divided into three groups: Group I, negative Master's test (47 patients). Group II, positive Master's test (32 patients), and Group III, old myocardial infartion (30 patients). Pulse volume decreased In 5 of 47 patients (10.6%) in Group I, in 24 of 32 patients (75.0%) in Group II and in 18 of 30 patients (60.0%) in Group III after exercise, and there was highly significant difference between Group I and Group II (P<0.001) and between Group I and Group III (P<0.001). There was no significant difference between Group 11 and Group III. In fifteen patients whose pulse volume de-creased after excercise, the administration of 0.075 mg of ouabain did not cause any significant changes in heart rate and pulse volume at rest, but after exercise, it decreased heart rate and increased pulse volume significantly (P<0.05). In contrast, In 15 patients whose pulse volume increased after exercise, the administration of ouabain did not cause any significant changes in heart rate and pulse volume both at rest and after exercise. It is concluded that exercise digital plethysmogram is useful in the. evaluation of patients with ischemic heart disease from the hemodynamic standpoint.