[Colonoscopy in advanced age: cardiac arrhythmias].

62 in- and outpatients (65-89 years) with an average age of 76 +/- 5.6 years were investigated with Holter-ECG during colonoscopy to find out whether an endoscopy increases the tendency for cardiac arrhythmias. 50 per cent of the inpatients had a compensated cardiac insufficiency and 57.9 per cent had a coronary heart disease. Cascara-Salax and gut lavage were used for cleansing of the gut. 15 patients with a premedication of 5 mg Diazemuls an 50 mg Dolantin got an analysis of the blood gas before and after the premedication from a hyperaemic lobe of the ear. During endoscopy the number of patients with arrhythmias of a high degree was lower compared to the control period. With regard to the ventricular premature beats there was the following observation: (Table: see text). During the control period 6 patients had some supraventricular premature beats, during colonoscopy there were 14 patients with such arrhythmias. One female patient had a transitory atrial fibrillation. Before premedication the pO2 is 76.9 +/- 9 mmHg, afterwards 68.4 +/- 12.0 mmHg. Three patients showed a decrease of the pO2 down to 55 mmHg, three other patients down to 65 mmHg. The colonoscopy in the elderly does not essentially increase the cardiac arrhythmias, the severe premature beats do not increase. It is concluded that the cardiac risk is not increased by the endoscopy. The importance of the preparation for cleansing and the premedication is discussed.