Score of Marwick et al for Predicting the Risk of a Major Cardiovascular Event After a Dobutamine Stress Echocardiogram

Major cardiovascular events: myocardial infarction or cardiac death

Parameters:

(1) age

(2) history of heart failure

(3) peak rate•pressure product during dobutamine stress testing

(4) evidence of ischemia during stress testing (new or worsening wall motion abnormalities)

(5) scar (presence of resting akinesia or severe hypokinesia)

peak rate•pressure product =

= (maximum heart rate in beats per minute) * (maximum systolic blood pressure in mm Hg)

risk score =

= (0.02 * (age in years)) + (0.4 * (points for heart failure)) + (0.4 * (points for rate•product)) + (0.6 * (points for scar)) + (0.6 * (points for ischemia))

Interpretation:

• minimum score: around 0.4

• maximum score: around 6