Absolute and relative contraindications to exercise testing

Absolute

• Acute myocardial infarction (within 3 to 5 days)
• Unstable angina
• Uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmias causing symptoms of
• haemodynamic compromise
• Active endocarditis
• Symptomatic severe aortic stenosis
• Uncontrolled symptomatic heart failure
• Acute pulmonary embolus or pulmonary infarction
• Acute non-cardiac disorder that may affect exercise
• performance or be aggravated by exercise (e.g. infection, renal
• failure, thyrotoxicosis)
• Acute myocarditis or pericarditis
• Physical disability that would preclude safe and adequate test
• performance
• Thrombosis of lower extremity

Relative

• Left main coronary stenosis or its equivalent
• Moderate stenotic valvular heart disease
• Electrolyte abnormalities
• Significant arterial or pulmonary hypertension
• Tachyarrhythmias or bradyarrhythmias
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
• Mental impairment leading to inability to cooperate
• High degree atrioventricular block