Use of isoproterenol during programmed ventricular stimulation in patients with coronary artery disease and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia.

Twenty-three consecutive patients (20 men and 3 women) with coronary artery disease and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) in whom sustained VT was not inducible in a baseline electrophysiology test underwent repeated testing during isoproterenol infusion to determine the inducibility of sustained monomorphic VT. After the baseline study, each patient received a 2 to 4 microgram/min infusion of isoproterenol (mean 2.5 +/- 0.8 microgram/min). The sinus cycle length shortened by a mean of 29% +/- 9% and programmed stimulation was repeated. Nineteen patients had no inducible sustained, monomorphic VT, two patients had only inducible nonsustained VT, and two patients had ventricular fibrillation. Patients were followed up for 10 to 20 months (mean 14.4 +/- 2.9 months) and had no syncope, sustained monomorphic VT, or sudden death. Isoproterenol infusion during programmed stimulation in patients with coronary heart disease and nonsustained VT does not facilitate the induction of sustained monomorphic VT.