Method and system for evaluating cardiac ischemia with an exercise protocol

A computer program product for assessing cardiac ischemia in a subject to provide a measure of cardiac or cardiovascular health in that subject, said computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code comprising:

• (a) computer readable program code for collecting a first RR-interval data set from said subject during a stage of gradually increasing heart rate up to a predetermined threshold of at least 130 beats per minute;
• (b) computer readable program code for collecting a second RR-interval data set from said subject during a stage of gradually decreasing heart rate;
• (c) computer readable program code for comparing said first RR-interval data set to said second RR-interval data set to determine the difference between said data sets;
• and
• (d) computer readable program code for generating from said comparing in said computer readable program code (c) a measure of cardiac ischemia during stimulation in said subject, wherein a greater difference between said first and second data sets indicates greater cardiac ischemia and lesser cardiac or cardiovascular health in said subject.

A system for assessing cardiac ischemia in a subject to provide a measure of cardiac or cardiovascular health in that subject, comprising:

• (a) means for collecting a first RR-interval data set from said subject during a stage of gradually increasing heart rate up to a predetermined threshold of at least 130 beats per minute;
• (b) means for collecting a second RR-interval data set from said subject during a stage of gradually decreasing heart rate;
• (c) means for comparing said first RR-interval data set to said second RR-interval data set to determine the difference between said data sets;
• and
• (d) means for generating from said comparing in said computer readable program code (c) a measure of cardiac ischemia during stimulation in said subject, wherein a greater difference between said first and second data sets indicates greater cardiac ischemia and lesser cardiac or cardiovascular health in said subject.