Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy in an older woman with hyperkinetic delirium

Abstract

Tako-Tsubo syndrome is cardiological condition, mainly affecting postmenopausal women, that mimics an acute heart attack, because a similar clinical presentation, ECG changes and altered laboratory tests. There is general consensus that the common etiology is a sudden and strong emotional or physical stress. We report here the case of 80-yearold woman who developed a Tako-Tsubo syndrome during an episode of hyperkinetic delirium. Delirium is an acute, transient, usually reversible neuropsychiatric syndrome, considered a serious and stressful condition in older patients admitted to both medical and surgical setting. This clinical case expands our knowledge on the negative consequence of delirium in hospitalized patients and describes an additional risk factor for Tako-Tsubo syndrome in older people.