[Evaluation of cardiac tolerance of intravenous digital angiography]

Cardiac tolerance to intravenous digital subtraction angiography (ANVV) was evaluated by a prospective study in a continuous series of patients of both sexes investigated for various arterial diseases and classified initially into "cardiac" and "non-cardiac" cases. Ischemic and rhythmic electrocardiographic modifications were monitored, the contrast medium (PC) used being randomly selected between Ioxaglate and Iopamidol. Of the first 46 patients studied, 40% had had more than one auricular and/or ventricular extrasystole (ES), 18% had painless depression of the ST segment (greater than or equal to 0.5 mm) and 46.7% both effects. In the 17 "cardiac" patients, depression of ST and the ES were more frequent (p less than 0.02 and p less than 0.05 respectively) than in the 29 "non-cardiac" cases. There was absence of difference between Ioxaglate and Iopamidol with respect to frequency of disorders of repolarization, but Ioxaglate appeared to provoke more ES than Iopamidol (respectively 13 of 23 and 5 of 22 cases, p = 0.02). Major cardiac complications were not reported, and it is concluded, after discussion of cardiovascular effects of PC injection, that intravenous digital subtraction angiography is generally well tolerated but requires some precautions in patients with cardiac affections.