Acute Phase Of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy Research Articles

Sudden cardiac arrest in takotsubo cardiomyopathy - a case study.

We present a 59-year-old woman who was admitted to hospital after sudden cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation. Finally takotsubo syndrome was diagnosed. In the acute phase of takotsubo syndrome life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias and significant hemodynamic disorders may occur due to strong adrenergic stimulation and myocardial ischemia. It has been proved that the occurrence of torsade de pointes tachycardia in the acute phase of takotsubo cardiomyopathy is associated with QT prolongation. There are no clear guidelines on pharmacological treatment and implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation after a past takotsubo episode. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy has not been entirely explained as an etiological disease.

Correlation between ECG presentation and cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in takotsubo cardiomyopathy

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is characterized by acute and reversible ventricular dysfunction in the absence of significant coronary artery disease, typically triggered by acute emotional or physical stress. In the acute phase of TTC, the electrocardiogram (ECG) shows ST-segment elevation, which rapidly evolves into negative T waves and QT prolongation. However, different types of ventricular dysfunction may be associated with different patterns of ECG presentation. In this paper, we discuss the correlation between ECG presentation and cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in TTC.

First Evidence of Increased Plasma Serotonin Levels in Tako-Tsubo Cardiomyopathy

Background. There is no data about the serotonergic activity during the acute phase of Tako-Tsubo Cardiomyopathy (TTC). The objective of our study was to investigate evidence of serotonin release from patients with TTC in comparison with patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and healthy control subjects (HCS). Methods and Results. Plasma serotonin levels in 14 consecutive patients with TTC were compared with those in 14 patients with STEMI and 14 HCS. Plasma serotonin levels at admission were markedly higher in patients with TTC and STEMI as compared to HCS (3.9 ± 4.6, P = 0.02 versus control; 5.7 ± 5.6, P = 0.001 versus control; and 1 ± 0.4 ng/mL, resp.). There was no difference in serotonin levels between patients with TTC and those with STEMI (P = 0.33). Conclusion. This finding suggests that serotonin could participate to the pathophysiology of TTC.

Coronary artery tree and myocardial perfusion in patients with tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy: Evaluation with coronary digital subtraction angiography

Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy is characterized by transient left ventricular contractile dysfunction. The precise etiology of tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy remains to be elucidated. We performed coronary angiography in two patients with tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy and evaluated the coronary microcirculation by digital subtraction angiography (DSA). In the acute phase of tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy, coronary DSA demonstrated severely reduced perfusion in the apex. Follow-up DSA showed the restoration of normal myocardial perfusion in the apex. Coronary DSA can simultaneously depict the coronary vessels and myocardial perfusion abnormalities. Furthermore, DSA can also show the relationship between the perfusion territory of the coronary arteries and the region of impaired myocardial perfusion. This technique might support the central role of microcirculation disturbance in tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy.

Historische und gegenwärtige pathophysiologische Konzepte der Tako-Tsubo-Kardiomyopathie

Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC), also referred to as stress cardiomyopathy (SCM), was first described in the 1990s and is characterized by transient left ventricular dysfunction. Its incidence represents 1-2% of all acute coronary syndromes (ACS). In most cases extreme emotional or physical stress precedes this syndrome. The majority of patients affected are postmenopausal women. Since its first description, various hypotheses regarding the pathophysiology of TTC have been discussed. From a historical perspective, coronary vasospasm has often been proposed as a possible cause of this disorder. However, reviews from numerous registries were able to demonstrate that coronary vasospasm plays only a minor role in the pathogenesis of TTC. Several groups showed disturbances in myocardial microcirculation and energy metabolism in the acute phase of TTC. Nevertheless, with regard to the data currently available, it cannot be differentiated whether these changes are the cause or rather the result of TTC. However, recent concepts include an excessive catecholamine overload and morphological changes which are unequivocally documented in TTC. The relation between elevated catecholamine levels and myocardial dysfunction analogous to TTC could be confirmed in animal experiments.In summary, it can be assumed that TTC is caused by an excessive cardiotoxic release of catecholamines. Ventricular dysfunction can be explained by increased numbers of β-adrenergic receptors in the apex, leading to greater vulnerability to catecholamine overload. Individual anatomical differences in the sympathoadrenergic system and distribution from β-adrenergic receptors are presumably responsible for the interindividual occurrence of wall motion abnormalities in TTC.

Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: A Nurse’s Guide

Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: A Nurse’s Guide

Detection of FMR1-gene in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: A new piece in the puzzle

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is a cardiac entity appreciated only recently mimicking acute myocardial infarction, often affects post-menopausal women and is triggered by preceding emotional or physical stress. Pathogenesis of TTC is unknown, recurrence of TTC in one individual and familial predisposition occurs. Expression profiling of cardiac genes in the acute phase of TTC are not enough analyzed and are a component of future research. We report for the first time on a female individual with TTC, who happened to be carrier of an FMR1 gene mutation, alleles of an intermediate size between 40–55 triplet premutations.

Thromboembolism in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy

Background Most patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy show a favorable outcome. Although several complications have been reported, the frequency of thromboembolism has not been clarified. Methods Clinical characteristics and complications of 21 consecutive patients (18 female, aged 72 years) with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy during the past 9 years were investigated. Results The most major complication was heart failure (52%). Thromboembolism was found in 3 patients (14%) and this was the second most frequent cardiovascular complication. One of the 3 patients showed left ventricular thrombus and the other 2 experienced cardioembolic stroke. All 3 patients visited the emergency department more than 48 h after initial chest pain occurred. Conclusions This study indicates that thromboembolism is a common complication in the acute phase of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, and anticoagulation therapy should be performed in all patients until wall motion abnormalities improve. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy should be considered one of the important causes of cardioembolic stroke.

Transient impairment of coronary flow reserve in tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy is related to left ventricular systolic parameters

Recent studies suggest that coronary flow reserve (CFR) is transiently impaired in tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC). Mechanisms by which such impairment occurs are still unknown. To assess the relationship between CFR obtained by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TDE) and parameters of left ventricular (LV) performance in patients with TTC. A total of 20 consecutive patients in sinus rhythm, with TTC (mean age 70+/-9 years, 19 women) underwent serial evaluation of TDE-CFR, in the distal part of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), at the acute phase and after recovery using intravenous adenosine infusion (140 microg/kg/min over 2 min). CFR was calculated as hyperaemic to basal mean diastolic coronary flow velocity (CFV). Average of the septal and lateral mitral annulus early diastolic (Ea) and systolic (Sa) tissue velocity, early (E) and late (A) diastolic transmitral velocity, the ratio E/Ea, wall motion score (WMS, 16 segment model), LV end-systolic volume index (ESV/m(2)) and LV end-diastolic volume index (EDV/m(2), biplane-Simpson method) were serially measured by TDE. Basal CFV, LV mass index and haemodynamics parameters did not differ between acute phase and recovery, whereas hyperaemic CFV increased significantly after recovery (P<0.01) leading to a greater CFR (2.9+/-0.3 vs. 2.1+/-0.4, P<0.0001). At the acute phase, hyperaemic CFV was significantly correlated to WMS, ESV/m(2), but not to E/Ea, whereas at recovery, hyperaemic CFV was not correlated to LV parameters. The improvement of CFR was closely correlated to the decrease of ESV/m(2), of WMS, but not to diastolic parameters. No significant correlation was found between CFR and E/Ea or LV mass index at each stage. There is a transient impairment of CFR at the acute phase of TTC, which is due to a reduced vasodilating capacity. This impairment is closely correlated to LV systolic parameters. Diastolic compressive forces to the coronary microcirculation do not appear to play a critical role.

Reversible impairment of coronary flow reserve in takotsubo cardiomyopathy: A myocardial PET study

The precise etiology of takotsubo cardiomyopathy remains unclear. The study of myocardial blood flow (MBF) and coronary flow reserve (CFR) by use of positron emission tomography might help in understanding this syndrome. Three postmenopausal women underwent adenosine/rest perfusion with nitrogen 13 ammonia and metabolism with fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, coronary angiography, cardiac magnetic resonance, and echocardiography in the acute phase of takotsubo cardiomyopathy and at 3 months' follow-up, after normalization of left ventricular function. PET study was performed in 2 parts: the perfusion analysis with nitrogen ammonia and the metabolism of the heart using FDG. MBF and CFR were analyzed quantitatively in the acute phase and at follow-up. The images highlighted the impairment of tissue metabolism in the dysfunctioning left ventricular segments in the acute phase, mainly in the apical segments and progressively less in the medium segments. At the same time, a clear inverse metabolic/perfusion mismatch emerged, which normalized 3 months later. The quantitative analysis of MBF showed a reduction in the acute phase in apical segments in comparison to basal segments without differences between midventricular and basal segments. In the acute phase CFR proved to be reduced in apical versus basal segments. CFR impairment of apical segments recovered completely after 3 months. The acute phase of takotsubo cardiomyopathy is characterized by an inverse perfusion/metabolism mismatch with a reduction in CFR in the apical segments. However, the impairment of CFR and the reduction of metabolism in the apical segments recovered completely after 3 months.

Hyperintensity on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy

The mechanism underlying the association between Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) and myocardial injury is unknown. We describe a signal hyperintensity zone on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (T2WI) in 2 cases of atypical and typical TC. In these cases, a transmural hyperintensity zone on T2WI agrees with a region of abnormal left ventricular wall motion. We suggest that edematous viable myocardium is present transmurally in the acute phase of TC.

Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy: intraindividual structural analysis in the acute phase and after functional recovery

To gain more insight into the phenomenon of Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC), the purpose of the present study was to investigate the myocardial structure in the acute phase of TTC and after functional recovery. We studied eight patients presenting with TTC diagnosed by coronary angiography, ventriculography, magnetic resonance imaging, and echocardiography. Serial myocardial biopsies were taken during the phase of severely impaired left ventricular function and after functional recovery. Specimens were examined by light and electron microscope as well as immunohistochemistry. Additionally, specific methods detecting different types of cell death and measurements of virus titer were performed. All patients showed the typical contractile pattern of TTC and complete functional recovery within 12 +/- 3 days. In 'acute' biopsies, many vacuoles of different size were found contributing to cellular hypertrophy. PAS staining revealed intracellular accumulation of glycogen. Additionally, structural deteriorations characterized by disorganization of contractile and cytoskeletal proteins could be detected. The extracellular matrix proteins were increased. Signs of oncotic and apoptotic cell death were absent. After functional recovery, all described alterations showed a nearly complete reversibility. TTC is accompanied by severe morphological alterations potentially resulting from catecholamine excess followed by microcirculatory dysfunction and direct cardiotoxicity. However, the affected myocardium represents a high potential of structural reconstitution which correlates with the rapid functional recovery.

Apical Ballooning Syndrome

Case presentation: A 60-year-old woman presented to the emergency department 2 hours after the onset of severe retrosternal chest pain that started soon after she was told that her son had died in a car accident. A 12-lead ECG demonstrated ST-elevation in the precordial leads (Figure 1), and the plasma troponin T level was elevated at 0.07 ng/mL. A diagnosis of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction was made, and the patient was admitted for emergency coronary angiography, which revealed normal coronary arteries. The left ventriculogram showed severe systolic dysfunction involving the mid and apical segments (Data Supplement Movie I). Figure 1. Twelve-lead ECG demonstrating ST-segment elevation in precordial leads. Physicians have long been aware of the possible association between stress and cardiovascular events. Awareness has increased of a distinct cardiac syndrome that was originally described in the Japanese population and was called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, named after the octopus-trapping pot with a round bottom and narrow neck that resembles the left ventriculogram during systole in these patients.1,2 Other names used to describe the condition include apical ballooning syndrome (ABS), broken heart syndrome, and stress or ampulla cardiomyopathy. The precise incidence of ABS is unknown, but it may account for 1% to 2% of patients who present with an acute myocardial infarction.3 The majority of patients have a clinical presentation that is indistinguishable from an acute coronary syndrome. Most present with chest pain at rest, although some patients have dyspnea alone as their initial presenting symptom. Rarely, patients present with syncope or an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.4 ABS appears to occur almost exclusively in postmenopausal women; however, a few cases have been reported in younger women and males.4 The patients are usually hemodynamically stable, but clinical findings of mild-to-moderate congestive heart failure …