Dobutamine Stress Echo
Understanding Dobutamine Stress Echo
What is Dobutamine Stress Echo?
Dobutamine Stress Echo is a test that makes the use of sound waves to get detailed moving pictures of the heart without using radiation. Popularly referred to as “sonography of the heart”, it is usually used to assess cardiomyopathies, congenital heart diseases, damage to the heart valves, and to evaluate cardiac status before heart surgery. It is also done to check the safe limits of exercise prior to a cardiac rehabilitation program post heart attack.
In this, electrodes are attached on the chest and a gel is applied. A transducer is pressed against the chest which sends sound waves and receives the echoes from the heart and converts it into videos. Dobutamine infusion will begin at a rate determined by your weight and ECG will be tracked.