PARADOXICAL SINUS NODE DECELERATION DURING DOBUTAMINE STRESS ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY; CASE STUDY

Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) is a well-established non-invasive testing procedure for diagnosing myocardial ischemia and coronary artery disease. As a result of dobutamine stress testing, side effects such as ventricular tachycardia, fatal ventricular fibrillation, cardiogenic shock, free wall rupture, and transient ischemic attacks have been reported. However, a paradoxical heart rate response during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) is not necessarily associated with abnormal test results, nor does it imply coronary artery disease. Herein we report a 54-year-old female who presented with paradoxical sinus node deceleration of heart response to maximum dobutamine dose resulting in stress test interruption in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease.