Clinical details of the patients
| Technician only | Medically supervised | p value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of patients | 250 | 225 | |
| Male/female (%) | 56/44 | 52/48 | |
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 56 (10) | 56 (10) | |
| Mean (SD) work load (mets) | 7.2 (3.5) | 8.4 (3.6) | <0.005 |
| Indications for termination | |||
| Maximum heart rate | 60 (24%) | 56 (25%) | NS |
| Shortness of breath | 42 (17%) | 45 (20%) | NS |
| Chest pain | 25 (10%) | 12 (5%) | 0.06 |
| ST depression >0.2 mV | 41 (16%) | 24 (11%) | 0.07 |
| Blood pressure changes* | 18 (7%) | 2 (<1%) | <0.005 |
| Non-specific symptoms† | 64 (25%) | 86 (38%) | <0.005 |
* Hypertension, hypotension or inability to obtain a blood pressure recording; †fatigue or musculoskeletal pain.
Mets, metabolic equivalents of oxygen consumption.