What is a Dobutamine stress echo?
A Dobutamine stress echocardiogram uses a drug and harmless sound waves to help see if any blood vessels in your heart are blocked. The drug, dobutamine, is given to make your heart beat faster, as if you were exercising. This exam is performed to diagnose and/or evaluate coronary artery disease (blockage in the blood vessels feeding the heart), damage to the heart muscle and areas of the heart which have been “stunned” by previous heart attacks. What happens during the exam? This exam is done in four stages (baseline, low dose, peak dose, and recovery) to evaluate the blood flow pattern of the heart at rest and with increased blood flow as would happen with exercise. You will receive a medication called Dobutamine that stimulates the effect of exercise. A small IV will be placed in a vein in your arm and is used for the injection of the Dobutamine. It is normal to feel your heart pound for a few minutes while the Dobutamine is being administered. The IV will remain in your arm for the
