[Apical ballooning syndrome, case series]

Apical ballooning syndrome is a cardiac syndrome typically characterized by transient focal dyskinesia or akinesia of the mid and apical regions of the left ventricle and hyperkinesia of the basal region. The symptoms and signs of the patient mimic myocardial infarction, with chest pain, electrocardiographic changes and elevation of cardiac enzymes but without significant coronary artery disease. The syndrome is frequently preceded by physical or emotional stress. We describe three cases of apical ballooning syndrome diagnosed during 10 days in December 2007 at Landspítali University Hospital Reykjavík.