Dobutamine stress-echo with cardiac output monitoring can detect heart failure with high sensitivity

Purpose: To evaluate the state of myocardial systolic reserve in patients with normal and elevated brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). Material and methods: 61 patients (age 57.1 ± 7.4 years) with various cardiovascular pathology were examined. Dobutamine stress-echocardiography was executed to every patient. BNP level over 100 pg/ml was considered as elevated. Rest echocardiography assessed the following parameters: end diastolic volume index (EDVI), ejection fraction of the left ventricular (EF), global longitudinal peak strain (GPS). During the dobutamine stress with the help of continuous wave Doppler the blood…