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A case of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy mimicking an acute coronary syndrome

Nature Clinical Practice Cardiovascular Medicine volume 3, pages 53–56 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Background A 71-year-old woman presented with severe chest pain after an episode of acute emotional distress. Her serum levels of cardiac enzymes were slightly elevated and electrocardiography revealed anterior ST-segment elevations. Significant coronary stenoses were excluded. A left ventriculogram revealed apical ballooning and a hypercontractile basal segment.

Investigations Serum cardiac enzyme measurements, echocardiography, coronary angiography and left ventriculography.

Diagnosis Takotsubo cardiomyopathy

Management Treatment with β-blockers, aspirin, angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors, and intravenous diuretics.

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Figure 1: A 12-lead electrocardiogram showing ST-segment elevations and T-wave inversions in the right precordial leads, which is a typical pattern observed in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.
Figure 2: Left ventriculogram of the patient during systole showing mid, distal and apical left ventricular ballooning, with vigorous contraction of the basal segment as seen in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. an internal medicine resident at Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA

    Mark D Metzl

  2. a Cardiology Fellow, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY, USA

    Erik J Altman

  3. Assistant Professors of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY, USA

    Daniel M Spevack, Sanjay Doddamani & Robert J Ostfeld

  4. Professor of Clinical Nuclear Medicine and Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY, USA

    Mark I Travin

Authors
  1. Mark D Metzl
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  2. Erik J Altman
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  3. Daniel M Spevack
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  4. Sanjay Doddamani
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  5. Mark I Travin
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  6. Robert J Ostfeld
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert J Ostfeld.

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Competing interests

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Metzl, M., Altman, E., Spevack, D. et al. A case of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy mimicking an acute coronary syndrome. Nat Rev Cardiol 3, 53–56 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpcardio0414

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpcardio0414

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