Transient Left Ventricular Apical Ballooning Syndrome: A Case Report

Abstract

Transient left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome is a rare cause of acute chest pain mimicking acute myocardial infarction. Presentations include ischemic-like chest pain, ST-segment elevation, cardiac biomarker elevation, and characteristic midventricular and apical wall motion abnormalities in the absence of obstructive epicardial coronary disease. We describe a case of transient left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome in a 59-year-old man who presented with chest pain and ventricular tachyarrhythmia in our emergency department. Successful direct cardioversion was performed in the emergency department. Cardiac catheterization showed patent coronary arteries with midventricular and apical wall motion abnormalities and transient left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome was impressed. Transient left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome should be included in the differential diagnosis of acute chest pain.