Adenosine thallium imaging: pharmacodynamics and patient monitoring.

Because many critical care patients have cardiac, trauma, or other complications that rule out usual exercise cardiac stress testing, the new use of adenosine for thallium imaging may be used for these patients. Because of its vasodilating properties, adenosine can be combined with thallium imaging to determine the presence of coronary artery disease in persons unable to exercise. This author describes the pharmacodynamics of adenosine, the process of thallium imaging, and the interpretation of the images which help the nurse prepare the patient and prevent complications.