Stress-Induced Cardiomyopathy-Considerations for Diagnosis and Management during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• COVID-19 presents with diverse cardiovascular complications, including myocardial injury, myocarditis, arrhythmia, and pulmonary embolism.
• Stress-induced cardiomyopathy (takotsubo syndrome) is a rare but reported manifestation during acute COVID-19 infection and due to pandemic-related stress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the specific diagnostic and management considerations for takotsubo syndrome in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To highlight the utility of point-of-care ultrasound in diagnosing takotsubo syndrome while minimizing transmission risk.

Main Methods:

• Review of clinical presentations, diagnostic challenges, and management strategies for takotsubo syndrome during the COVID-19 outbreak.
• Discussion of the role of point-of-care hand-held ultrasound as a safe diagnostic tool.

Main Results:

• Takotsubo syndrome in COVID-19 patients shares similarities in clinical course with the general population.
• Conventional imaging modalities may be limited due to infection control requirements.

Conclusions:

• Physicians must be aware of the unique challenges and considerations for diagnosing and managing takotsubo syndrome during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Point-of-care ultrasound is a valuable tool for the timely diagnosis of takotsubo syndrome in COVID-19 patients, ensuring patient and physician safety.