FEASIBILITY OF DOBUTAMINE STRESS TEST ON THE 3RD WEEK OF MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION - COMPARISON WITH RESULTS OF BICYCLE EXERCISE TEST

High dose dobutamine stress test (up to 50 mu g/kg/min with atropine w hen necessary) with echocardiographic and ECC control was performed in 124 patients with myocardial infarction (Q-wave -83,2%) between days 12 and 23 after onset of symptoms. Results of the test were positive i n 50,8% (63 of 124), negative - in 45,2% and uninformative - in 4% of patients. In 17 of 63 patients with positive tests signs of ischemia a ppeared on 40 and in 96 patients - on 50 mu g/kg/min. The following co mplications occurred: ventricular fibrillation - in 1 patient (success fully resuscitated), nonsustained ventricular tachycardia - in 5, supr aventricular arrhythmia-in 12, attacks of atrial fibrillation - in 3 p atients. After dobutamine test all medications were resumed and routin e predischarge bicycle exercise test with ECC control scheduled. Exerc ise test was actually done in 79 patients (63,7%) who had no contraind ications and were able and willing to pedal ergometer a rule in 1 day after dobutamine infusion. Comparison of results of bicycle exorcise a nd echocardiographic dobutamine stress tests in these patients showed that the latter more frequently revealed myocardial ischemia (in 26,7 and 55,7% of patients respectively). Thus on the third week of myocard ial infarction echocardiographic dobutamine stress test compared to a bicycle exercise test with ECG control can be done in higher number of patients, more often produces myocardial ischemia but bears a potenti al of causing serious cardiac arrhythmia.