IJCS | Volume 32, Nº1, January/ February 2019

22 Table 1 - Patients’ baseline characteristics Variable N Mean Median 1 st quartile 3 rd quartile Standard deviation Age 381 79.0 78 76 81 3.7 Weight (kg) 381 70.4 70 60 79 13.9 Height (cm) 381 163.8 164 157 170 9.5 Body mass index (kg/m²) 380 26.2 25,6 23.4 28.5 4.2 Sex Female (N/%) 205/53.8 Male (N/%) 176/46.2 Hypertension Yes (N/%) 258/67.7 No (N/%) 123/32.3 Diabetes Yes (N/%) 91/23.9 No (N/%) 290/76.1 Dyslipidemia Yes (N/%) 178/46.7 No (N/%) 203/53.3 Coronary artery disease Yes (N/%) 43/11.3 No (N/%) 338/88.7 Carotid plaque Yes (N/%) 198/67.3 No (N/%) 93/32.7 Baroncini et al. Ergometric test and echocardiography in the elderly Int J Cardiovasc Sci. 2019;32(1)19-27 Original Article indicates that, in relatively healthy individuals older than 75 years old, the decrease in functional capacity is associatedwith age, progressive physical deconditioning and comorbidities, which will negatively affect their independence and daily physical activity. 25-28 Nevertheless, comorbidities such as previous stroke, bone and articular diseases, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were not analyzed in the present study. In regard to HR at the first minute after the test, it is known that its restoration to baseline values reflects the integrity of the vagal system, which is compromised in older ages, in patients with diabetes, cardiac failures, and increased BMI. 29-31 In this regard, in the present study, only 21.8% of the individuals showed an abnormal HR response at the first minute after the exercise test. Also, there was no correlation of this variable with echocardiographic parameters, age, sex or BMI. This finding was expected, as the studied cohort comprised an aged populationwith similar clinical and echocardiographic characteristics. Another relevant finding was the fact that only 10% of the individuals in the present study showed positive for myocardial ischemia. Sensitivity of the ergometric test was similar to that documented by Vacanti et al., 6 using myocardial perfusion scan with dipyridamole in individuals older than 75. However, it is known that elderly patients have a high prevalence of severe CAD, with low tolerance to exercise. Thus, results of exercise stress testing in