Safety and feasibility of dobutamine-atropine stress echocardiography in patients with ischemic left ventricular dysfunction

J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 1996 Jan-Feb;9(1):27-32. doi: 10.1016/s0894-7317(96)90101-7.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze whether left ventricular dysfunction affects the safety and feasibility of high-dose dobutamine-atropine stress echocardiography. We examined the results of the test in 318 consecutive patients who were referred for high-dose dobutamine-atropine stress echocardiography and also underwent diagnostic cardiac catheterization. Forty-four patients had a left ventricular ejection fraction of 25% or less (mean, 21%; range, 15% to 25%). In the entire group of 318 patients, no serious complications (death, myocardial infarction, or ventricular fibrillation) occurred. The overall feasibility of completing the test was excellent (97%). A trial fibrillation occurred in four patients, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia in 12, and sustained ventricular tachycardia in one. A decrease in systolic blood pressure of greater than 40 mm Hg or a peak systolic pressure of less than 80 mm Hg was present in eight cases. In the group with an ejection fraction of 25% or less, there was a higher rate of significant tachyarrhythmias (14% versus 5%; p = 0.03), whereas the feasibility of the test was slightly lower (89%; p < 0.01), but no difference for hypotension was found. By multivariate analysis, a history of tachyarrhythmias was the only predictor of stress-induced arrhythmias. Advanced left ventricular dysfunction does not represent a contraindication for dobutamine-atropine stress testing.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adrenergic beta-Agonists* / adverse effects
  • Atrial Fibrillation / etiology
  • Atropine* / adverse effects
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects
  • Cardiac Catheterization
  • Cardiac Output, Low / diagnostic imaging
  • Cardiac Output, Low / physiopathology
  • Contraindications
  • Dobutamine* / adverse effects
  • Echocardiography* / adverse effects
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypotension / etiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Muscarinic Antagonists* / adverse effects
  • Myocardial Ischemia / diagnostic imaging*
  • Myocardial Ischemia / physiopathology
  • Safety
  • Stress, Physiological / physiopathology*
  • Stroke Volume
  • Tachycardia / etiology
  • Tachycardia, Ventricular / etiology
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / diagnostic imaging*
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / physiopathology

Substances

  • Adrenergic beta-Agonists
  • Muscarinic Antagonists
  • Dobutamine
  • Atropine