Abstract

Five hundred patients underwent exercise testing during haemodynamic monitoring 36+-17 days after an acute myocardial infarction: 136 were 45 or less years of age (group A), 323 aged 46-64 years of age (group B) and 41 were over 64 years of age (group C). Group C showed at rest a lower stroke volume and cardiac output (CO) and during exercise a more frequent ST depression, a higher pulmonary artery end-diastolic pressure at a lower work load and a higher incidence of patients with inappropriate increments of CO. The differences among groups were statistically significant and independent of the extension of necrosis and the presence of myocardial ischaemia. It is concluded that these changes are at least partially age-related. Verf.-Referat