The study aim was both to identify signs and symptoms previous to and during the pharmacological stress echocardiography test and to describe the nurse's role and nursing care principles for this exam. This is a descriptive study, carried out in cardiac care unit in a University Hospital in Porto Alegre, RS. Two hundred forty-six records of patients submitted to stress echocardiography were retrospectively reviewed, according to four different pharmacological schedules. The statistical comparison showed that signs and symptoms were related to the type of drug used during the exam, namely: typical angina, precordial ache, tiredness, headache and premature complexes. These results enabled a better understanding of pharmacological stress echocardiography and the instrumentalization of nurses in order to plan individualized and qualified nursing care assistance. Aside from helping develop nursing practices for the pharmacological stress echocardiography test, this knowledge could also be used by nurses who carry out their activities in institutions that use this diagnostic method.
Stress echocardiography; Nursing cares; Role of the nursing professional
