Beta adrenergic receptor blockade causing severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction during dobutamine stress echocardiography in a patient with no structural heart disease

David R. Okada, Robert D. Okada*, Robert O. Bonow

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

A 41-year-old woman with a history of neurocardiogenic syncope treated with beta-blockers was admitted with chest pain. Dobutamine echocardiogram images demonstrated decreased global LV systolic wall motion and thickening. Coronary angiograms were normal. Beta-blockers were stopped and dobutamine stress echocardiogram (DSE) was repeated. Dobutamine images demonstrated increased global LV systolic wall motion and thickening. Beta-blockers were restarted and again dobutamine produced global LV dysfunction. This case suggests that DSE wall motion response may be falsely abnormal in a patient on beta-blockers. Physicians should be aware of this possibility when interpreting dobutamine echocardiography in patients taking beta-blockers. (Echocardiography 2012;29:E39-E42) A 41-year-old woman with a history of neurocardiogenic syncope treated with beta-blockers was admitted with chest pain. Dobutamine echocardiogram images demonstrated decreased global left ventricular (LV) systolic wall motion and thickening. Coronary angiograms were normal. Beta-blockers were stopped and dobutamine stress echocardiogram (DSE) was repeated. Dobutamine images demonstrated increased global LV systolic wall motion and thickening. Beta-blockers were restarted and again dobutamine produced global LV dysfunction. This case suggests that DSE wall motion response may be falsely abnormal in a patient on beta-blockers. Physicians should be aware of this possibility when interpreting dobutamine echocardiography in patients taking beta-blockers.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)E39-E42
JournalEchocardiography
Volume29
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2012

Keywords

  • dobutamine
  • echocardiography

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Beta adrenergic receptor blockade causing severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction during dobutamine stress echocardiography in a patient with no structural heart disease'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this