PubMed1995
After myocardial infarction treated by thrombolysis, secondary improvement of contractility may be observed due to the presence of viable but stunned myocardium in a zone of ischaemia. Echocardiography with lose dose Dobutamine has been proposed as a diagnostic test of myocardial viability. The inotropic effect of the pharmacological agent improves or induces myocardial thickening in zones of ischaemia. A positive response is observed in about one out of two cases. The sensitivity ranges from 79 to 86% and the specificity from 68 to 90% in the reported series. This mode of stress echocardiography for the study of post-infarction myocardial viability is under clinical evaluation: its advantages and limitations should be compared with those of other non-invasive methods, especially thallium myocardial scintigraphy.