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Published on: August 18, 2016
Multivessel Coronary Artery Vasospasm-Induced Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy
Vishal I Patel1,2, Serap Sobnosky1,2,3
1St. Mary Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, USA.
Insights
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy can be caused by diffuse coronary artery vasospasm. This case report details the first angiographically confirmed instance of this rare Takotsubo cardiomyopathy trigger.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
Background:
- Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is characterized by reversible left ventricular dysfunction and an acute stressor.
- Epicardial coronary vasospasm is an infrequently documented cause of TTC, with poorly understood mechanisms.
Observation:
- A 54-year-old female presented with chest pain and ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
- Coronary angiography revealed diffuse multivessel coronary artery vasospasm without obstructive coronary artery disease.
Findings:
- The patient was diagnosed with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy attributed to diffuse multivessel coronary artery vasospasm.
- This represents the first angiographically confirmed case of TTC caused by diffuse multivessel vasospasm, expanding on existing literature typically involving focal or single-vessel vasospasm.
Implications:
- This case highlights diffuse multivessel coronary artery vasospasm as a significant, albeit rare, etiology for Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.
- Management strategies may benefit from a multimodal approach targeting vasospastic disease in TTC patients.
Abstract:
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is associated with a constellation of cardiac findings including reversible left ventricular dysfunction and an acute triggering stressor. Epicardial coronary vasospasm is a rarely reported etiology for takotsubo cardiomyopathy, and its pathophysiologic mechanisms still remain incompletely understood. We present the case of a 54-year-old female with chest pain and ST-elevation myocardial infarction who was found to have takotsubo cardiomyopathy due to diffuse multivessel coronary artery vasospasm in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease. To our knowledge, this is the first angiographically confirmed case of this rare phenomenon to be reported, as most literature involves focal, segmental, or single coronary artery involvement. Moreover, we review current literature and develop a discussion on the targeted treatment of vasospastic disease as part of the multimodal approach to the management of takotsubo syndrome.
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