Angina Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Angina, including details on symptoms, treatment, causes, prevention, surgery.

Safety of stress testing during the evolution of unstable angina pectoris or non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Karha J, Gibson CM, Murphy SA, Dibattiste PM, Cannon CP,

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. karhaj@ccf.org

Patients (n = 1,106) were chosen from the conservative arm of the Treat Angina with aggrastat and determine Cost of Therapy with an Invasive or Conservative Strategy-Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TACTICS-TIMI) 18 trial. Only 1 patient had a myocardial infarction and another died on the day of stress testing (mortality 0.12%). In patients with unstable angina pectoris or non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated with aspirin, heparin, and tirofiban, performance of an exercise or a pharmacologic stress test in selected patients within 48 to 72 hours after admission appears to be associated with a low risk of complications.

Published 13 December 2004 in Am J Cardiol, 94(12): 1537-9.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Angina Research Today. All Rights Reserved.