Takotsubo cardiomyopathy

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as stress-induced cardiomyopathy, left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome, and broken heart syndrome, is a clinical entity first described in the early 1990s in Japan and now receiving increased attention in the United States. The clinical features include an onset of chest pain mimicking that of an acute myocardial infarction, electrocardiogram changes similar to those of an acute myocardial infarction, normal coronary arteries on cardiac catheterization, and a signature appearance on echocardiogram. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy results in a significantly decreased ejection fraction that, as long as the patient receives appropriate hemodynamic support, typically undergoes spontaneous reversal. This article describes the history, clinical presentation, and management strategies for Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and provides a case study.