Dobutamine Stress Echocardiogram

What is a dobutamine stress echocardiogram?
Dobutamine stress echocardiography, or a Dobutamine stress echo, is a procedure that indicates how well your heart pumps when made to work harder. During this procedure, harmless sound waves are bounced (echoed) off your heart and recorded as images. These sound waves show the structure and movement of your heart chambers and valves. By comparing images taken before and immediately after administration of Dobutamine—a drug that accelerates the heart rate, your doctor can evaluate how effectively your heart muscle works under stress,and whether your heart is receiving enough blood to meet its increased demand for oxygen.

How do I prepare?

• Please wear a two-piece outfit. You will be given a hospital gown to wear.
• Do not eat for four hours before your procedure. This will prevent nausea, which may accompany the administration of the Dobutamine.
• Check with your doctor about whether you should continue taking your usual medications on the day of the exam. It may be necessary to stop certain medications a day or two before the test for more accurate results.
• You must arrange for someone to bring you home after the procedure as a medicine called Atropine maybe used during the test. This medicine can make eyes sensitive to bright sunlight.

What will happen on the day of the procedure?
Before your procedure begins, you will be asked to sign a consent form. Risks associated with this procedure include abnormal blood pressure response, irregular heart beat, and in very rare instances, heart attack.

You will be asked to undress from the waist up and given a hospital gown to wear. Your blood pressure will be monitored. Electrodes will be attached to your chest for an electrocardiogram (EKG)—a test that records the pattern and rate of your heart beat.

A technologist will then place a transducer at various locations on the left side of your chest. This will make it possible for images of your heart at rest to be recorded on videotape.

An IV will be placed in your arm. The cardiologist and nurse will begin an infusion of Dobutamine. Dobutamine will be administered until your heart is beating rapidly. Each increase in medication is followed by a set of echocardiographic pictures.

After a predetermined maximum heart rate is achieved, the medication is stopped and one final set of echo images of your heart is acquired. The cardiologist can then display four sets of images, side by side, to compare the way your heart functions at rest, at first dose, peak heart rate and in recovery.

The time for this procedure is approximately one hour.

The results of the procedure will be available to your physician within 5-7 business days. The information gained from this procedure will enable your physician to plan your treatment and decide whether any additional tests are necessary. Please follow up with your physician to discuss your results.