TY - JOUR
T1 - Safety of Exercise Stress Testing in Patients With Abnormal Concentrations of Serum Potassium† † Portions of this manuscript were published in abstract form in Circulation 2002;106(suppl):II-437 (used with permission).
AU - Modesto, Karen M.
AU - Møller, Jacob E.
AU - Freeman, William K.
AU - Shub, Clarence
AU - Bailey, Kent R.
AU - Pellikka, Patricia A.
N1 - Funding Information:
Dr. Modesto is supported in part by a grant from the Brazilian Society of Cardiology, Rio de Janeiro, and the Federal University of São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil.
PY - 2006/4/15
Y1 - 2006/4/15
N2 - The objective of this study was to determine the safety of performing exercise stress testing in patients with abnormal serum potassium concentrations. Data were reviewed from 9,084 patients (mean age 63 ± 12 years) referred for exercise echocardiography who had serum potassium measured <48 hours before the test were reviewed, and the occurrence of arrhythmias during stress testing was determined. Of 10,272 studies, 9,067 (88%) were in patients with normokalemia and 1,205 (12%) were in patients with abnormal serum potassium concentrations: 309 (26%) with hypokalemia (mean 3.4 ± 0.16 mmol/L) and 896 (74%) with hyperkalemia (mean 5.1 ± 0.19 mmol/L). Ventricular and supraventricular ectopy were common during exercise. Only 1 patient (potassium 4.9 mmol/L) had sustained ventricular tachycardia; all other episodes were nonsustained. Although ventricular and supraventricular ectopy are common during exercise testing, life-threatening arrhythmias are not. Exercise testing is generally safe despite mild to moderate hypokalemia or hyperkalemia.
AB - The objective of this study was to determine the safety of performing exercise stress testing in patients with abnormal serum potassium concentrations. Data were reviewed from 9,084 patients (mean age 63 ± 12 years) referred for exercise echocardiography who had serum potassium measured <48 hours before the test were reviewed, and the occurrence of arrhythmias during stress testing was determined. Of 10,272 studies, 9,067 (88%) were in patients with normokalemia and 1,205 (12%) were in patients with abnormal serum potassium concentrations: 309 (26%) with hypokalemia (mean 3.4 ± 0.16 mmol/L) and 896 (74%) with hyperkalemia (mean 5.1 ± 0.19 mmol/L). Ventricular and supraventricular ectopy were common during exercise. Only 1 patient (potassium 4.9 mmol/L) had sustained ventricular tachycardia; all other episodes were nonsustained. Although ventricular and supraventricular ectopy are common during exercise testing, life-threatening arrhythmias are not. Exercise testing is generally safe despite mild to moderate hypokalemia or hyperkalemia.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.amjcard.2005.11.049
DO - 10.1016/j.amjcard.2005.11.049
M3 - Article
C2 - 16616035
AN - SCOPUS:33645739087
SN - 0002-9149
VL - 97
SP - 1247
EP - 1249
JO - American Journal of Cardiology
JF - American Journal of Cardiology
IS - 8
ER -