Exercise prescription when the guidelines do not work.

Because the current medical environment encourages a more conservative approach to resource use, "clinically unnecessary" exercise tests are being scrutinized and refused. This article's intent is not to debate the appropriateness of exercise tests for prescription purposes or suggest that programs should accept patients who have not been tested. These decisions are institutional specific. The intent is only to suggest an approach for those programs who feel it is safe and appropriate to accept patients who have not had an entry exercise test.