The
established criteria for positive Tread Mill Test (TMT) needs
revision in order to avoid treating healthy persons as heart
patients, its author Colonel M J Jacob, head of the department
of Nuclear Medicine, Army Hospital Research and Refferal said.The study has been published in the Journal of
Associations of Physicians in India.With increased prevalence of coronary artery disease,
people especiall the young are anxious to find out about their
risk of suffering from a heart attack in near future and
hence, undergo TMT to clear the doubt.ECG TMT is one of the main tests routinely used to
detect the adequacy of the blood supply to cardiac muscles
during rest as well as at times of higher stress.All those who test positive for ECG TMT are put
through further tests and procedures."A total of 152 people including airline pilots,
millitary personnels making it to higher altitudes,
submariners and executives who reported positive for ECG TMT
were analysed in order to ensure their cardiac fitness in
stress conditions."It was found that the test grossly over-estimated the
presence of cardiac problems and put healthy persons through
unnecessary tests and procedures," Colonel Jacob said.Chest discomfort could have been due to other minor
problems unrelated to heart like acidity, chest wall muscle
main etc, he said.He said, "ECG TMT is one of the very common
investigations being used in the periodic medical examination
of high risk professionals."It's time we revise the test criterias. It's time we
revise the test criterias in order stop person from being
unduly being subjected to coronary angiography," he said. PTI
SWT