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How many times can a heart be broken?
Tommy Mulleners1, Dagmara Dilling-Boer, Edouard Benit
1Hartcentrum Hasselt, Virga Jesse Hospital, Hasselt, Belgium. tommy.mulleners@virgajesse.be
Acta Cardiologica
|July 15, 2009
Summary
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as stress-induced cardiomyopathy, mimics heart attacks but is caused by emotional or physical stress. This condition can occur multiple times in patients, as shown in this case report.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Stress-induced cardiomyopathy, also known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy or 'broken heart' syndrome, is an increasingly recognized condition.
- It presents similarly to acute myocardial infarction but without significant coronary artery disease.
Observation:
- This case report details a patient experiencing recurrent episodes of stress-induced cardiomyopathy.
- The syndrome is characterized by extensive ventricular dysfunction with minimal elevation in cardiac enzymes.
Findings:
- Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is triggered by acute emotional or physical stress.
- Angiography typically reveals no significant obstructive coronary disease in affected individuals.
Implications:
- Understanding the recurrent nature of stress-induced cardiomyopathy is crucial for patient management.
- This highlights the importance of considering non-ischemic causes of cardiac dysfunction in the context of stress.
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