Use of dobutamine stress echocardiography in assessing mechanical aortic prostheses: comparison with exercise echocardiography.

Abstract

In normally functioning aortic valve prostheses, the target heart rate can be reached more often with dobutamine than with supine bicycle exercise. Despite significant increase in the transvalvular gradients, the valve area remained unchanged. The clinical significance of exercise or dobutamine in symptomatic patients with mechanical prostheses is yet to be proven.