Amipaque in coronary angiography and left ventriculography

Amipaque (metrizamide) has been directly compared with Urografin and Triosil in coronary angiography and left ventriculography. Amipaque caused significantly less T-wave deflection than either medium when injected into the coronary arteries, and there was a tendency to less reduction in heart rate. Subjective discomfort was significantly reduced with Amipaque, particularly in left ventriculography. Amipaque was also directly compared in two concentrations, 370 and 300 mg iodine/ml. There was a slight tendency to less ECG change and subjective discomfort with the lower concentration, and there was no significant reduction in image quality. The relatively high cost of Amipaque and the necessity of prior mixing make its routine use in adult cardiology unlikely, but it should be valuable in certain cases when minimum toxicity or reduced discomfort are of special importance. A relatively low iodine concentration, for example 300 mg iodine/ml, is sufficient.