Dobutamine Stress Echocardiogram is a specialized ultrasound test to assess the function of the heart under stress that is designed for patients who are unable to walk on the treadmill. This procedure examines the structure and function of the heart as the heart rate is increased using medication.
How to Prepare
Avoid any food or drink for two hours before having the test. Before your visit to our Vancouver Diagnostics Centre, your patient advisor will guide you and provide you with all the information you need to prepare for your Dobutamine Stress Echocardiogram.
What to Expect
Your skin is prepared for the electrodes by shaving, if needed, and wiping the area of skin with an alcohol swab. Electrodes are placed on the prepared areas and the leads from the ECG machine are attached. You be asked to lie on your left side so that your sonographer can take ultrasound images of your heart at rest. This portion of the test takes approximately 20 minutes.
Your cardiologist will then place a small needle in your arm to administer the medication. The medication will be administered at a progressive rate until your target heart rate is reached. This process can take up to 30 minutes. Your sonographer will continuously take images of your heart as your heart rate is increasing.
Once the target heart rate is reached the medication will be turned off and your heart rate will return to normal in approximately 10 minutes. Your cardiologist will then be able to compare the images of your heart at rest with the images of your heart at its peak heart rate.
Dobutamine Stress Echocardiogram
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Dobutamine Stress Echocardiogram is a specialized ultrasound test to assess the function of the heart under stress that is designed for patients who are unable to walk on the treadmill. This procedure examines the structure and function of the heart as the heart rate is increased using medication.
How to Prepare
Avoid any food or drink for two hours before having the test. Before your visit to our Vancouver Diagnostics Centre, your patient advisor will guide you and provide you with all the information you need to prepare for your Dobutamine Stress Echocardiogram.
What to Expect
Your skin is prepared for the electrodes by shaving, if needed, and wiping the area of skin with an alcohol swab. Electrodes are placed on the prepared areas and the leads from the ECG machine are attached. You be asked to lie on your left side so that your sonographer can take ultrasound images of your heart at rest. This portion of the test takes approximately 20 minutes.
Your cardiologist will then place a small needle in your arm to administer the medication. The medication will be administered at a progressive rate until your target heart rate is reached. This process can take up to 30 minutes. Your sonographer will continuously take images of your heart as your heart rate is increasing.
Once the target heart rate is reached the medication will be turned off and your heart rate will return to normal in approximately 10 minutes. Your cardiologist will then be able to compare the images of your heart at rest with the images of your heart at its peak heart rate.