Introduction
Isoproterenol is a non-specific beta agonist commonly used during
electrophysiology studies (EPS). Its β1-stimulation promotes
tachyarrhythmia induction by improving cardiac conduction and shortening
AV nodal refractoriness. However, the financial burdens of using
isoproterenol are significant given the high cost of the medication and
the increasing number of catheter ablations.1,2
Dobutamine is a less expensive synthetic compound developed from
isoproterenol that is predominantly a β1-agonist with mild β2 and
α1-activities.3 It has been well-studied and used in
cardiac stress imaging as well as treatment for cardiogenic
shock.4 Therefore, dobutamine is a feasible, less
expensive alternative to isoproterenol. However, its use for EPS has not
been extensively studied.
The purpose of this study was to determine the site-specific effects of
various doses of dobutamine on cardiac conduction and refractoriness and
assess its safety during EPS.