Contraindications, Risks, and Safety Precautions for Stress Testing

The chapter Contraindications, Risks, and Safety Precautions for Exercise Testing details the absolute and relative contraindications to exercise testing. A common contraindication is exercise testing within 48 hours of a myocardial infarction (MI). Indications for termination the exercise test are reviewed to maximize patient safety and include development of moderate angina, a progressive decrease in systolic blood pressure with continued exercise, ≥1 ST segment elevation in an electrocardiographic lead without Q waves, and generally if a patient develops a ≥2 mm increase in ST depression from baseline. The mortality rate for exercise testing approximates 0.3 per 10,000 (0.03%).