The effects of early administration of atropine during dobutamine stress echocardiography: advantages and disadvantages of early dobutamine-atropine protocol

Table 1 Demographic characteristics; risk factors; use of medication; and ECG, ECHO and CAT data, in each group.

Variables	Group A (n = 41)	Group B (n = 35)	Group C (n = 29)	p value
Age (± DP)	60,8 +/- 11	59,6 +/- 12	54 +/- 12	0,038
Weight	69,2	71,6	74	0,4
Gender, Male %	51,2	54,2	65	0,47
Test indications:
CAD investigation or pre-operative %	46	66	55	0,23
Evaluation of known CAD %	54	34	45	0,23
Previous history of MI %	40	26	32	0,43
History of angina %	58	68	41	0,089
History of heart failure %	39	21	24	0,17
Hypertension %	61	62	45	0,61
Diabetes Mellitus %	20	20	21	0,98
High cholesterol %	46	62	35	0,1
Family history for CAD %	49	60	46	0,49
Smoking %	29	31	24	0,8
Obesity %	36	28	45	0,4
Use of Beta blockers %	49	54	45	0,74
Use of calcium channel blockers %	12	20	10	0,48
Use of digitalic %	0	6	10	fp
Altered baseline ECG %	38	39	41	0,97
Altered baseline ECHO %	41	37	42	0,87
Normal ventricular function %	66	86	65	0,097
Previous CAT %	46	40	36	0,68
Previous PTCA %	19	12	10	0,6
Previous CABG %	17	17	10	0,69

CAD = coronary artery disease MI = myocardial infarction
PTca = percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty CABG = cardiac artery bypass grafting
ECG = eletrocardiogram with 12 derivations ECHO = echocardiogram CAT = cardiac catheterism fp = few patients (<10)

ISSN: 1476-7120