[Timely execution of the first stress test in patients with acute myocardial infarct].

110 patients with acute myocardial infarction who survived the acute phase were individually randomized into the groups A and B. The two groups were identical with regard to age, sex, risk factors before the infarction, localization of the infarction, complications on the intensive care unit, therapy when being taken over from the intensive care unit and stay on the intensive care unit. With the same frequency in lethality (5.5% each) and morbidity (25.0% to 28.8%) the patients undergoing rehabilitation of group B significantly earlier underwent the first functional test (20.5 +/- 8.4 to 32.7 +/- 10.8 days). In group B this was possible in 21% of the patients after 2 weeks, in 46% after 3 weeks and in 21% after 4 weeks. An age over 60 years, the heart insufficiency in the acute phase and a dilated or dyskinetic left ventricle at the end of the acute phase had a prolonging effect on the provisional plan of time, when the patient was taken over from the intensive care unit. Of the complications during the rehabilitation phase I particularly Dressler's syndrome and the heart insufficiency prolonged the time up to the first functional test, whereas haemodynamically ineffective disturbances of rhythm show an insignificant influence.