Comparative evaluation of dopamine infusion & treadmill exercise tests in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease

Dopamine infusion test (DIT) was compared with treadmill exercise test (TMT) in 20 patients of chronic stable angina (TMT + ve) for inducing reversible myocardial ischaemia so as to assess its efficacy as an alternative to TMT in patients who cannot perform exercise test due to certain non-cardiac diseases. DIT was positive in 15 of the 20 patients studied; five patients in whom DIT was negative had late onset, early offset changes in TMT. Haemodynamically the increase in heart rate (HR) was less but rise in systolic blood pressure (SBP) was more with dopamine infusion in comparison to the corresponding stage of TMT. However, evidence of myocardial ischaemia (ST segment depression) appeared at a lower rate pressure product (RPP) with dopamine infusion compared to exercise test