Tako-Tsubo Cardiomyopathy—The Role of Physical and Emotional Stressors: Two Case Report

Abstract

Introduction: Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy describes a form of acute and reversible left ventricular dysfunction with a clinical presentation, ECG and cardiac biomarkers that makes it indistinguishable from acute coronary syndrome. Case Presentation: The authors present two cases of tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy in postmenopausal women, the first case following an emotional stressful event and a second case following a blood transfusion and probably associated with intravenous catecholamine perfusion. Both had unobstructed coronary arteries and regional wall-motion abnormalities typical of this syndrome. Conclusions: Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy is a condition often misdiagnosed. A clinical presentation suggestive of acute coronary syndrome in a postmenopausal woman without history of coronary disease and in whom a precipitating stressful event can be found should lead the physician to suspect the diagnosis of tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy. This syndrome associated with blood transfusion has rarely been described.