Patient preparation

Myocardial Perfusion and Function, SPECT Stress Myocardial Perfusion Imaging, Includes Pharmalogic Stress

In general, patients undergoing a stress study should be hemodynamically and clinically stable for a minimum of 48 hours before testing.

Patients should be fasting for at least 4 hours (preferably for 12 hours) before MPI. Cardiac medication should be taken as usual when the examination is performed to determine the effectiveness of medical therapy.

Pharmacologic stress  
Vasodilator stress agents may be administered to create coronary hyperemia (i.e., dipyridamole, adenosine). Caffeine-containing beverages and methylxanthine containing medications, which interfere with the coronary hyperemia produced by these drugs, should be discontinued for at least 12 hours before pharmacologic stress imaging (longer for long-acting methylxanthine preparations).