Exercise stress testing is the most frequently used clinical tool for assessment of coronary artery disease. To ensure a high validity of the results, a good Patient compliance is crucial. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of a virtually presented exercise group on the perceived comfort and the exercise capacity of patients during classical treadmill exercise testing. The investigators hypothesis is, that a virtually presented running group will increase the comfort of patients and their exercise capacity.

108 Patients were randomized in an open label trial 1:1 to either exercise treadmill testing while watching a static image of a flower (image group) or to exercise treadmill testing while watching a video of 5 amateur runners, running across and fields, giving the patient the impression of running within the group (video group). After the exercise test patients were asked to score their perceived comfort level and achieved level of their subjective physical limit on a 10 point scale.

Standard exercise treadmill parameters, as well as baseline demographic data were recorded of each patient. Patients with missing data was excluded of the analysis.

Statistic analysis was performed with t-test for normally distributed data and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney-Test for non-normal data.

Inclusion Criteria:

• indication for exercise stress testing

Exclusion Criteria:

• any contraindication for exercise stress testing
• unability of performing an exercise treadmill test
• recent surgery