Stress echocardiography

Stress echocardiography is an examination that combines ultrasound imaging of the heart with stress, whether physical (exercise on a semi-recumbent bicycle or treadmill) or pharmacological (intravenous injection of dobutamine). The aim is to compare how the heart works at rest and under stress, in order to detect contraction abnormalities that are only visible when the heart is subjected to an increased workload. This examination is an essential diagnostic tool for detecting coronary artery disease. When a coronary artery is narrowed, the area of heart muscle it supplies may contract normally at rest but show a contraction abnormality during exercise, because the oxygen supply becomes insufficient. Stress echocardiography detects these segmental wall motion abnormalities with excellent sensitivity and specificity. Pharmacological stress echocardiography with dobutamine is particularly useful in patients who cannot perform sufficient physical exercise (joint limitations, respiratory failure, peripheral artery disease of the lower limbs). Dobutamine is a medication that stimulates the heart in a way comparable to physical exercise. At the Clinique Pasteur in Tunis, stress echocardiography is performed by experienced cardiologists in a secure environment. The examination is continuously monitored, with resuscitation equipment immediately available, ensuring optimal patient safety.