Safety and Predictors of Complications with a New Accelerated Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography Protocol

Results: A total of 962 patients were included. Mean age was 64 11 years and 584 were male (61%). Mean ejection fraction was 62 10%. Complications included hypertensive responses in 66 patients (7%), arrhythmias in 26 (2.7%), and symptomatic hypotension in 16 (1.7%). No patient developed heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, ventricular fibrillation, or died. The independent predictors of hypertensive responses were age, baseline systolic blood pressure, and treatment with nitrates. The independent predictors of arrhythmias were history of hypertension, previous coronary artery disease, and baseline heart rate.