Exercise tests and ventricular tachycardia.

All treadmill exercise tests done at the Palo Alto Veterans Administration Medical Center from 1973 to 1982 were reviewed to identify episodes of ventricular tachycardia (>/=3 consecutive ventricular ectopic complexes) or ventricular fibrillation occurring during or within 8 minutes of cessation of symptom-limited exercise. Of patients with a clinical diagnosis of coronary artery disease (900 tests), ventricular tachycardia occurred in 36 (4.0%) and ventricular fibrillation in 6 (0.7%). Of patients without known coronary disease (1,700 tests), ventricular tachycardia occurred in 12 (0.07%), and no patient had ventricular fibrillation. Most arrhythmias ceased spontaneously and only 5 patients required cardioversion. We conclude that exercise tests are safe, the incidence of ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation is low-these arrhythmias occurring largely in patients with known coronary disease-spontaneous return to sinus rhythm is common and no deaths were associated with 2,400 consecutive tests.