RAPID RESOLUTION OF HYPERKINESIA AFTER EXERCISE 2-DIMENSIONAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC STUDIES IN NORMAL SUBJECTS

Abnormal wall motion detected with exercise echocardiography identifie s ischemic myocardium, while normal myocardium exhibits hyperkinetic m otion. The normal, hyperkinetic response to exercise is transient and is predictive of an excellent prognosis. However, there are few data o n the duration of the hyperkinesis after peak exercise. Our purpose wa s to determine the time course of wall thickening after exercise in ei ght normal subjects with two-dimensional echocardiography. Percentage of wall thickening increased from 53 +/- 24 percent at baseline to 82 +/- 24 percent at 0 to 2 min postexercise (p < 0.001 vs baseline) and then decreased to 64 +/- 27 percent at 2 to 4 min, and 54 +/- 20 perce nt at 5 to 7 min (both NS vs baseline). We conclude that (1) systolic wall thickening is maximal within the initial 2 min following peak exe rcise, and (2) accurate identification of hyperkinetic, normal myocard ium with exercise echocardiography requires immediate postexercise ima ging.