[A new pharmacological test for diagnosing coronary artery disease (author's transl)].

In 45 patients with coronary artery disease, proven by coronary arteriography, and 15 patients without such disease 0.5 mg dipyridamole (Persantin) per kg body weight was injected i.v. over ten minutes. In 40 of the 45 patients with coronary artery disease anginal pain occurred during or immediately after dipyridamole injection and ceased immediately after intravenous administration of 0.24 g aminophylline (positive test), while in three it had stopped spontaneously without aminophylline (questionable positive test). Only in two of the 45 patients with confirmed coronary artery disease was there no anginal pain (false-negative result). None of the 15 patients without coronary artery disease had anginal pain during the test. It is concluded from these results that the "dipyridamole test", which is simple to perform and does not stress the patient significantly, is at least equivalent diagnostically to the exercise E.C.G. test.