Cardiac stress test with radioactive dye?

Does atropine during a nuclear stress test affect the results?

• I was given a drug during a nuclear stress test to mimic my body exercising. My BP dropped to 80/48 and I was given atropine. Will this affect the results of the test? The target pulse was 140 but it never got that high because the BP went so low. they gave me the nuclear stuff anyway and they took the pictures. They said I had to drink more water and take pictures over because the radioactive stuff was not in my heart. I read online that a side effect or atropine was dry mouth, inability to urinate etc. (in other words it dries up bodily secretions ie:saliva,tears,sweat and so on). I was also given a bag of IV fluids to help bring up my BP. I'm wondering if it affects bodily secretions in that way maybe that is why the blood with the dye was not making it to my heart. I'm grateful for any info...Thanks

• Answer:

  The problem was that your blood pressure dropped with an ionotropic challenge (akin to pressing the gas pedal and the car stalling)...the team that was administering the test did what they could to try to support your cardiac function, giving you atropine (which is often used to achieve target heart rate in this sort of stress study) and pushing fluids. The tracer element did not get to your heart because the pump (your heart) was not moving very much blood. The atropine may have certain side effects but it doesn't dry up fluid that flows in your vessels. There is no question that this was a suboptimal stress study but it answered some questions...depending on the intent of the study, an alternative study might be ordered to get to the crux of the question - do you have inducible ischemia? Alternatively they may elect to do a cath. I hope this helps. Good luck.