Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

"Broken heart syndrome" after separation (from OxyContin).

Juanita M Rivera1, Adam J Locketz, Kevin D Fritz

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minn 55905, USA.

Mayo Clinic Proceedings
|June 15, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Opioid withdrawal can trigger broken heart syndrome (Takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy) in patients with long-term opioid dependence. This case highlights the need for continued perioperative opioid management to prevent serious cardiac complications.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Extraction of Protruding Ostial Stents to Enable Percutaneous Coronary Interventions: The EXPOSE Technique.

JACC. Case reports·2026
Same author

Ten-Year Clinical Outcomes and Cause of Death in Patients on Dialysis Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Retrospective Mayo Clinic PCI Registry Analysis.

Mayo Clinic proceedings·2026
Same author

Erratum to 'Trends, Predictors, and Outcomes of Temporary Mechanical Circulatory Support for Postcardiac Surgery Cardiogenic Shock' [The American Journal of Cardiology 123(2019) Pages 489-497].

The American journal of cardiology·2026
Same author

Mechanical circulatory support for cardiogenic shock in takotsubo syndrome.

Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society·2026
Same author

Conservative Acute Management of a Large Paradoxical Coronary Embolism: A Case Report and Systematic Literature Review.

JACC. Case reports·2026
Same author

Percutaneous Management of Cabrol Graft Chronic Total Occlusion: Case Report.

Journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions·2025

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Pharmacology
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy, or broken heart syndrome, is a stress-induced condition.
  • Long-term opioid dependence is increasingly common, particularly for chronic pain management.
  • Postsurgical opioid withdrawal can precipitate acute medical events.

Observation:

  • A 61-year-old woman with a history of opioid dependence developed acute dyspnea and chest pain post-surgery.
  • She presented with ST-segment elevation and elevated cardiac biomarkers, mimicking myocardial infarction.
  • Coronary angiography was normal, but echocardiography revealed severely reduced ejection fraction and wall motion abnormalities characteristic of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

Findings:

  • Abrupt postsurgical withdrawal of OxyContin was identified as the likely trigger for broken heart syndrome.

Related Experiment Videos

  • The patient's cardiac function fully recovered with supportive care and resumption of opioid therapy.
  • This represents the first reported case of broken heart syndrome following opioid withdrawal in an adult.

    • Implications:

    • Adequate perioperative opioid management is crucial for opioid-dependent patients undergoing surgery.
    • Failure to manage opioid withdrawal can lead to severe, potentially life-threatening cardiovascular complications.
    • This case underscores the importance of a comprehensive approach to pain management in patients with substance use disorders.