title: [Oral versus intravenous beta-blockers for computed tomography coronary angiography? A randomized controlled trial].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the time employed in the radiological management of outpatients undergoing computed tomography (CT) coronary angiography varies in function of whether oral or intravenous beta-blockers are administered.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, analytical, randomized controlled trial. A total of 40 patients with heart rates greater than 65 beats per minute were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Patients in group 1 were administered oral beta-blockers and patients in group 2 were administered intravenous beta-blockers. We measured the overall time from entry to the radiology department to exit from the CT examination room. We also measured heart rate, blood pressure, and the number of conclusive studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median (interquartile range) overall time was 120 (100-150) minutes in the 19 patients who received oral beta-blockers compared to 35 (27.5-67.5) minutes in the 21 patients who received intravenous beta-blockers (p<0.001). The median time that patients were in the CT examination room was 10 (6-15) minutes in Group 1 and 10 (9-20) minutes in Group 2 (p = 0.57). The decrease in mean arterial pressure was 10 mmHg after the administration of intravenous beta-blockers compared to 3.3 mmHg after the administration of oral beta-blockers (p = 0.01). No significant differences were found in the diagnostic quality of the examinations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The time employed in the radiological management of patients undergoing CT coronary angiography is significantly lower when beta-blockers are administered intravenously. There was no difference in the time patients were in the CT examination room or in the diagnostic quality of the examinations.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Radiología, Hospital POVISA, Vigo, Pontevedra, España. gonzatar@gmail.com
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tardáguila de la Fuente
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delgado Sánchez-Gracián
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Aguilar Arjona
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prada González
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fernández Pérez
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tardáguila Montero
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists