CONVENTIONAL STRESS TEST - IS IT USEFUL T O IMPROVE PATIENTS PROGNOSIS POST MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION - ARGUMENTS AGAINST

Exercise testing is considered to play a major role in risk stratifica tion after myocardial infarction. With the aim df improving prognosis, an exercise test should be able to identify patients at higher risk o f coronary events. In this sense, its major Limitation is a low positi ve predictive value, especially in patients who have been treated with thrombolytic agents. This fact limits its clinical value in the decis ion making process in individual patients. Finally, the decision to re vascularize with angioplasty or surgery when only a positive exercise test result is taken into account, has not been proven to prolong life in these patients. AU.these considerations should make us think about some clinical attittudes that are taken for granted.