Volume 182, Issue 3, March 2026, Pages 198-199Author links open overlay panelR. Houitte, J. Havard-Turebayeva, E. PriouxShow moreAccess through your organization

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A 58-year-old man with a past history of ischemic cardiopathy treated with acetylsalicylic acid 75 mg, propranolol, and perindopril, underwent dobutamine stress echocardiography. The test was interrupted due to headache, which improved with rest. Nevertheless, within a few hours, the patient experienced pain in his back and both legs as well as difficulty walking, leading him to attend the emergency room.

Physical examination revealed hypertension (systolic blood pressure = 200 mmHg), acute urinary

Discussion

Dobutamine is a synthetic catecholamine with dose-dependent action on α1, β1 and β2 receptors. As the formulation is a racemic mixture, the drug has α1-agonist, α1-antagonist and β2 agonist activity, leading, theoretically, to a null direct vascular effect [2]. In real-life conditions, a rise in blood pressure is reported during dobutamine stress testing.

Chest pain, palpitations, arrhythmias, headache, and nausea are common adverse effects of dobutamine stress testing. Spinal epidural hematoma

Conclusion

Our case provides a reminder of the importance of paying careful attention to symptoms occurring after a dopamine stress test: persistent back and leg pain should lead to complete exploration including spinal MRI. A neurosurgical opinion should be sought.

Disclosure of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interest.

References (3)C.J. Hsu et al.Prognostic factors and treatment efficacy in spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma: a single-center experience and literature review

In Vivo

(2024)

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