Table Functional Evaluation After Myocardial Infarction Exercise Capacity If ECG Is Interpretable If ECG Is Not Interpretable Able to exercise Submaximal or symptom-limited stress ECG before or after discharge Exercise echocardiography or nuclear scanning Unable to exercise Pharmacologic stress testing (echocardiography or nuclear scanning) Pharmacologic stress testing (echocardiography or nuclear scanning) The acute illness and treatment of myocardial infarction should be used to strongly motivate the patient to modify risk factors.