Serial exercise testing after coronary artery bypass surgery

To determine the duration of functional benefit from coronary bypass surgery, 111 patients with angina pectoris were serially evaluated by standard exercise testing prior to and for up to 4 years after surgery. Exercise testing 6 to 18 months after surgery showed greater heart rate-blood pressure product at peak work load, improved work capacity, and less symptomatic and electrocardiographic evidence of ischemia than was demonstrated preoperalively. Twenty patients were tested 37 to 48 months postoperatively and showed improved exercise performance in comparison with preoperative results, but the frequency of positive tests during this period no longer differed. Thus, improved exercise performance appears to persist for at least 4 years after coronary bypass surgery.