A Syndrom of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy Induced by Acute Stress: A Case Study of Broken Heart Report

Abstract Although previously thought to be a benign, self-limiting condition, recent studies have confirmed that patients with takotsubo syndrome have persistent subtle ongoing cardiac dysfunction, and many continue to have limiting symptoms despite restoration of left ventricular ejection fraction [17,18,19]. The aim of the study was to present the clinical course, comorbidities, complications, early and late mortality in a patient with takotsubo cardiomyopathy as clinical disorder in cardiology. A 55-years old postmenopausal woman presented to the emergency unit with chest pain, mild shortness of breath and ST wave elevation on her ECG. Previously she described that she had acute emotional stress 2 hours before she visits the doctor. Chest pain was described as strong, left-sided and suddenly without dyspnea. At admission, her venous blood pressure was high, 195 mmHg systolic and 100 mmHg diastolic values. Electrocardiographic examination shows the ST wave elevation in V2 to V4 lines, D1. She reported that in medical history she had hypertension, diabetes mellitus type-1 and was smoker with no similar symptoms never before. During admission and hospital treatment at the Clinic for Cardiology at the University Clinical Center in Kragujevac, anamnesis, clinical examination, echocardiography and ventriculography were done, as well as cardiac necrosis markers and other laboratory parameters were measured. Also, coronary angiography and clinical course and complications were followed. The main symptom in takotsubo cardiomyopathy was retrosternal chest pain exactly the same as in STEMI. Previously considered to be a benign syndrome, takotsubo cardiomyopathy should be reconsidered as a clinical condition at risk of serious complications such as cardiac arrest, cardiogenic shock, pulmonary oedema and cardiac rupture leading to death.