Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2026

Real-Time Electrocardiogram Monitoring During Treadmill Training in Mice
Published on: May 5, 2022
Atropine augmentation of treadmill exercise stress echocardiography
Cynthia K Brenden1, Peter M Eckman, Lorrie Bruce-Fane
1Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
Objectives:
Performance of exercise stress testing depends on adequate workload and is limited by patients' inability to reach target heart rate due to noncardiac illness or medications such as beta-blockers. This study aimed to assess the utility of atropine administration to augment the chronotropic response of patients undergoing treadmill exercise stress echocardiography.
Methods:
In a retrospective study, we assessed the utility of atropine administration to augment the chronotropic response in 1,396 patients undergoing treadmill exercise stress echocardiography between January 2004 and January 2009, compared with a historical control group with no atropine augmentation.
Results:
Atropine was well tolerated. The proportion of abnormal studies differed significantly between patients who underwent exercise with and without atropine augmentation (15% vs. 10%; P < 0.0001). Compared with the historical control group, the proportion of patients who achieved ≥85% of their target heart rates increased from 67% to 78% (P < 0.0001).
Conclusions:
While atropine augmentation is safe and feasible, further studies are required to determine whether it is an equivalent surrogate to achieving target heart rate through exercise alone.
Related Concept Videos
Exercise Stress Test
Exercise stress testing, commonly known as a treadmill test, is a noninvasive procedure used to evaluate cardiovascular function and diagnose heart conditions.
Definition
An exercise stress test measures the heart's response to exertion using a treadmill or stationary bicycle. Chest electrodes record the heart's electrical activity through an ECG, and blood pressure is monitored regularly.
Purposes
Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System II:Types of Echocardiography
Types of Echocardiography
Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE)
TTE is the most common type of echocardiogram which involves placing a transducer on the patient's chest, emitting sound waves to create heart images. TTE is invaluable for evaluating the heart's size, structure, and motion, making it particularly useful for diagnosing...
Acute Coronary Syndrome III: Diagnostic Studies
Electrocardiogram
Three major waveforms are present in a typical ECG recording: the P wave, the QRS complex, and the T...
Dysrhythmias V: Evaluating Dysrhythmias
Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy