Complications of Pharmacological Spasm Provocation Tests

We investigated the complications of spasm provocation tests, including acetylcholine (ACh) tests, ergonovine (ER) tests and adding ACh after ER tests, retrospectively. Methods: We performed 1546 ACh tests and 1114 ER tests during23 years, including 240 adding ACh after ER tests. 

ACh (RCA: 20/50/(80) g, LCA: 20/50/100/(200) g) was injected incrementally over 20 seconds, whereas ER (RCA: 40 g, LCA: 64 g) was administered over 2-4 minutes. In addition, we administered adding intracoronary injection of ACh (RCA: 50/80 g, LCA: 100/200 g) after ER tests. Serious major complications were defined as ventricular fibrillation, sustained ventricular tachycardia, shock, severe hypotension (< 60 mmHg), cardiac arrest and cardiac tamponade. Read more>>>>>>>