ABSTRACT
Ergonomics focuses on evaluating human performance while interfacing with specific devices or machines within a specified environment. The standardized exercise ECG treadmill (walking/running ergometer) test (exECG) that takes place daily in a typical hospital in developed countries, is an excellent example of such an interface between human, machine and a specified environment. In light of such an evaluation, the exECG stress test focuses on two outcomes: i) it is a routine diagnostic and prognostic assessment procedure for individuals with coronary artery disease (CHD), myocardial infarction (MI) and heart failure; and ii) it is an assessment of a patient’s ability to cope (or not) with or without symptoms or clinical complications in his/her required activities of daily living (British Association for Cardiac Rehabilitation, 1995; American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, 2004; American College of Sports Medicine, ACSM, 2005). Both these outcomes are used to determine the level of medical, surgical, or therapeutic intervention that a patient may require immediately or in the future.
