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Tako-tsubo-like left ventricular dysfunction with ST-segment elevation after central spinal cord injury: a case
Seiji Morita1, Sadaki Inokuchi, Takeshi Yamagiwa
1Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara-City, Kanagawa, Japan.
The Journal of Emergency Medicine
|July 4, 2008
Summary
Traumatic stress can cause a reversible heart condition, known as tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy, mimicking a heart attack. This case highlights the importance of recognizing this stress-induced cardiac dysfunction in trauma patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
Background:
- Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy, or stress-induced cardiomyopathy, presents with acute left ventricular dysfunction.
- Its etiology is often linked to emotional or physical stressors, mimicking acute myocardial infarction.
Observation:
- A 69-year-old male with a central spinal cord injury developed sudden chest pain and ST-segment elevation.
- Electrocardiography showed ST elevation in anterior leads, initially suggesting myocardial infarction or cardiac contusion.
Findings:
- Coronary angiography revealed no significant coronary artery stenosis.
- Left ventriculography demonstrated apical hypokinesis, characteristic of tako-tsubo-like left ventricular dysfunction.
Implications:
- Physicians must consider stress-induced cardiomyopathy in patients presenting with cardiac symptoms after trauma.
- Recognizing this syndrome is crucial for appropriate diagnosis and management, differentiating it from acute myocardial infarction.
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