Methods of exercise testing and training prescription for cardiovascular diseases.

Physical exercise testing and training in health and in heart disease may differ in concepts, targets and interpretation. Untrained males (n = 1962) of different age (18-65 years)--638 apparently healthy, 121 with arterial hypertension stage I-II, 1140 after confirmed acute myocardial infarction, and 63 after mitral surgery--were submitted to near-maximal bicycle spiro-ergometry (sitting, 60 rpm). Correlations between oxygen uptake (VO2), external work (W), heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (BP), double product (HR x BD = DP, as an indirect index of myocardial oxygen uptake), and other derived indices, varied substantially.