How safe is adenosine when used as a pharmacologic stressing agent in myocardial perfusion scintigraphy?

ABSTRACT

Myocardial perfusion imaging is used in the assessment of coronary artery disease by stressing patients either physically or pharmacologically. Adenosine was used as a pharmacologic stressor when administered at a dose of 0.14 mg/kg/min for 6 min to determine its safety at this dose level. Twenty patients referred for myocardial perfusion imaging were stressed with adenosine. The protocol was completed in 18 patients; 1 patient needed early termination of the infusion while another patient needed dose reduction. There patients did not experience any side effects and 17 patients experienced side effects that were short-lived. All the patients showed good tolerance to the test. Hence adenosine is a safe pharmacologic stressor at this dose level for myocardial perfusion imaging