Cardiovascular effects caused by rapid administration of gadoversetamide injection in anesthetized dogs

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES. This study assessed the cardiovascular effects of gadoversetamide and other gadolinium chelates administered at high rates o f injection. METHODS, Anesthetized beagles were instrumented to record the electrocardio gram and to measure arterial blood pressure. In part 1, each animal was inj ected with gadoversetamide at rates of 1.0, 3.0, and 10 mL/s, In part 2, ea ch animal was injected with gadoversetamide, gadopentetate dimeglumine, gad odiamide, and gadoteridol at a dose of 0.6 mmol/kg delivered at a rate of 3 .0 mL/s, RESULTS, Intravenous administration of gadoversetamide caused transient dec reases in both heart rate and blood pressure. The rate of injection did not affect the magnitude of the heart rate or blood pressure changes, Administ ration of gadoversetamide, gadopentetate dimeglumine, and gadodiamide elici ted equivalent changes in cardiovascular function. Injection of gadoteridol caused a similar degree of hypotension, but the changes lasted longer. CONCLUSIONS. Rapid administration of gadoversetamide caused no potentiation in cardiovascular changes. Our data support the initiation of a clinical t rial to demonstrate the safety of rapidly administering gadoversetamide wit h the use of a power injector.