Evidence on harms was limited , but direct harms seemed minimal ( for resting ECG ) or small ( for exercise ECG ) .
BACKGROUND Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in adults .
Screening for abnormalities by using resting or exercise electrocardiography ( ECG ) might help identify persons who would benefit from interventions to reduce cardiovascular risk .
PURPOSE To up date the 2004 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force evidence review on screening for  resting or exercise ECG abnormalities in asymptomatic adults .
Symptom-limited exercise testing, ST depressions and long-term coronary heart disease mortality in apparently healthy middle-aged men
Background Previous studies have shown that ST depressions ≤ 1.0 mm during or post-exercise increase long-term risk of dying from coronary heart disease ( CHD ) , the need for coronary artery bypass grafting ( CABG ) or the development of acute myocardial infa rct ion ( AMI ) in healthy men . In the present prospect i ve cohort study we investigate whether less marked ST depressions may influence CHD mortality , incidence of AMI , the need for a CABG or having a non-fatal stroke . Methods During 1972–75 , 2014 men aged 40–59 years , free from somatic diseases and not using any drugs , underwent an  examination programme including case history , clinical examination , various blood tests and a symptom-limited exercise ECG-test . ECG was registered during exercise and at 30 s , 1 , 2 , 3 and 5 min post-exercise . The possible prognostic impact of ST-changes of 0.50–0.99 mm and ≤ 1.00 mm compared with normal ST-segments were studied separately and combined . Horizontal , down-sloping and slowly up-sloping ST-segment patterns were combined . Results After adjustment for age , smoking , blood pressure , cholesterol , maximal heart rate , left ventricular hypertrophy and physical fitness ST depressions ≤ 0.50 mm - during and /or post-exercise - were associated with a 1.47-fold [ 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) 1.10–1.95 ] , and 1.54-fold ( 95 % CI of 1.17–2.04 ) increased 26 years risk of CHD-mortality , respectively . The same ST-changes also increased 22 years risk of developing non-fatal AMI or needing CABG but not developing non-fatal stroke . Conclusions Even an ST depression ≤ 0.50 mm during and /or after exercise increases the long-term risk of CHD-death , developing an AMI or needing CABG . No association was found between ST-changes and incidence of non-fatal strokes
Evidence on harms was limited , but direct harms seemed minimal ( for resting ECG ) or small ( for exercise ECG ) .
BACKGROUND Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in adults .
Screening for abnormalities by using resting or exercise electrocardiography ( ECG ) might help identify persons who would benefit from interventions to reduce cardiovascular risk .
PURPOSE To up date the 2004 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force evidence review on screening for  resting or exercise ECG abnormalities in asymptomatic adults .