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Transient left ventricular dysfunction under severe stress: brain-heart relationship revisited
Junya Ako1, Krishnankutty Sudhir, H M Omar Farouque
1The Center for Research in Cardiovascular Interventions, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, Calif 94305-5637, USA.
The American Journal of Medicine
|January 25, 2006
Summary
Tako-tsubo-like left ventricular dysfunction, a stress-induced condition, mimics heart attacks but resolves quickly. It shares similarities with left ventricular dysfunction following acute brain injury.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
Background:
- Tako-tsubo-like left ventricular dysfunction, also known as stress-induced cardiomyopathy, is a recognized clinical entity.
- It predominantly affects female patients and can mimic acute coronary syndromes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define the clinical characteristics of tako-tsubo-like left ventricular dysfunction.
- To explore its similarities to left ventricular dysfunction observed after acute brain injury.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of MEDLINE database and relevant citations.
- Consultation with clinical experts.
Main Results:
- The condition presents with ST-T wave changes and elevated cardiac enzymes, but without coronary artery obstruction.
- Left ventricular dysfunction, characterized by apical akinesis and basal hyperkinesis, typically resolves within weeks.
- Similarities in clinical presentation, pathology, and reversibility were noted between stress-induced cardiomyopathy and dysfunction after brain injury.
Conclusions:
- Transient left ventricular dysfunction can occur without obstructive coronary artery disease.
- This phenomenon may include left ventricular dysfunction resulting from central nervous system injury.