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Cardiac Stress Test Induced by Dobutamine and Monitored by Cardiac Catheterization in Mice
15:45

Cardiac Stress Test Induced by Dobutamine and Monitored by Cardiac Catheterization in Mice

Published on: February 10, 2013

Are intraventricular gradients with dobutamine a cause of false positive treadmill stress tests?

Nuno Cardim1, Pedro Campos, Daniel Ferreira

  • 1Departamento de Imagiologia Cardíaca, Serviço de Cardiologia do Hospital da Luz, Lisboa, Portugal.

Revista Portuguesa De Cardiologia : Orgao Oficial Da Sociedade Portuguesa De Cardiologia = Portuguese Journal of Cardiology : an Official Journal of the Portuguese Society of Cardiology
|November 10, 2009
PubMed

Insights

A man with no traditional risk factors had an abnormal stress test. Further tests revealed a coronary plaque and a significant outflow gradient, suggesting a rare condition.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Pharmacological Stress Testing

Background:

  • Coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors are well-established.
  • Asymptomatic individuals typically do not undergo extensive cardiac evaluation.
  • Electrocardiogram (ECG) criteria can indicate cardiac stress.

Observation:

  • A 40-year-old man presented with a positive treadmill stress test (ECG criteria).
  • Coronary CT angiography identified a small plaque in the left anterior descending artery.
  • Dobutamine-atropine stress echocardiography was negative for myocardial ischemia.

Findings:

  • A significant left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient of 100 mmHg was observed during pharmacological stress.
  • The findings suggest a potential dynamic obstruction in the absence of significant ischemia.
  • This presentation is unusual in an asymptomatic individual without conventional CAD risk factors.

Implications:

  • This case highlights the importance of considering non-traditional diagnoses in cardiac evaluations.
  • Pharmacological stress testing can reveal dynamic abnormalities not evident at rest.
  • Further investigation may be warranted to understand the etiology of the outflow gradient and plaque.

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