The use of dobutamine stress echocardiography for the evaluation of coronary artery disease is rapidly expanding. Despite its widespread use, the feasibility and safety of dobutamine stress echocardiography has not been sufficiently documented. Between November 1992 and June 1995, we performed 1000 dobutamine stress echocardiographies. There were 744 men and 256 women with a mean age of 59 +/- 11 years. Anti anginal medication was not routinely withdrawn before the test. The mean maximal dobutamine dose was 41,4 +/- 10 mu g/kg center dot min(-1). Atropine was given additionally in 440 patients, with a mean dose of 0.5 mg. In patients receiving beta-blockers additional atropine was more often necessary as compared to those not receiving beta-blockers (278/457 = 61% versus 162/543 = 30 %, p < 0.0001). Reasons for discontinuing dobutamine infusion were achievement of target heart rate (64 % of cases) and maximal dose (12 % of cases). In 791 (79,1 %) patients no side-effects of dobutamine stress echocardiography were noticed. Termination of the study because of adverse side-effects occurred in 6.6 %. A total of 103 (10,3 %) noncardiac side-effects were observed: dizziness or nausea 6.4 %, headache 1.7 %. In one patient a focal cerebral seizure occurred. 156 cardiac side-effects occurred: blood pressure decrease of more than 20 mm Hg in 25 patients, extreme palpitations in 16 patients and pulmonary edema in one case. Most common cardiac side-effects consisted of arrhythmias (11.4 %): 9.1 % ventricular and 2.3 % supraventricular arrhythmias. Most ventricular arrhythmias were less severe (uniform and multiform premature ventricular beats, ventricular bigeminy or couplets in 71 patients). Nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, with a maximum duration of 20 s, occurred in 18 patients. In one patient sustained ventricular tachycardia developed and progressed towards ventricular fibrillation. This patient could be successfully defibrillated. Supraventricular arrhythmias presented as new atrial fibrillation in 10 patients, supraventricular tachycardia in three patients, junctional rhythm with a short decline in heart rate in nine patients and a second-degree AV block in another case. Dobutamine stress echocardiography has proven to be a safe and feasible method in the diagnosis of coronary heart disease. Minor side-effects are common and sometimes unpleasant for the patient, but do not often require termination of the study. Severe side-effects are seldom (< 1 %), but nevertheless, adequate medical and technical (defibrillator) support should be rapidly available.