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Updated: Apr 23, 2026

Interventional Diagnostic Procedure: A Practical Guide for the Assessment of Coronary Vascular Function
Published on: March 15, 2022
Safety of intravenous β-adrenoceptor blockers for computed tomographic coronary angiography
Benjamin Clayton1, Vikram Raju, Carl Roobottom
1Cardiology Department, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, PL6 8DH, UK.
Aims:
To assess the safety of our clinical practice using off-label intravenous metoprolol to facilitate computed tomographic (CT) coronary angiography.
Methods:
A retrospective analysis of scan reports and hospital admissions data was conducted to identify adverse events occurring following CT coronary angiography in patients who had received intravenous metoprolol prior to the scan.
Results:
A total of 3098 patients were included, of whom 1871 received intravenous metoprolol. Nine hundred and one patients received more than 15 mg and 129 patients received metoprolol despite a resting heart rate <65 beats min(-1) . There was a single adverse incident, comprising transient loss of consciousness.
Conclusions:
The use of intravenous metoprolol to facilitate cardiac CT scanning appears safe. Dose limits recommended for other indications, generally in acutely unwell patients, may not need to be as stringent in this population.
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