Takotsubo cardiomyopathy presenting as multivessel coronary spasm syndrome: case report and review of the literature

Abstract

‘Takotsubo’ cardiomyopathy, more recently called transient left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome, is a recently described acute cardiac syndrome.

This increasingly reported syndrome consists of an acute onset of transient extensive akinesia of the apical and mid-portions of the left ventricle, producing ballooning of the apex in systole in the absence of significant coronary artery disease.The syndrome is accompanied by angina-like chest pain, electrocardiographic changes and minimal release of cardiac enzymes and biomarker levels, mimicking an acute myocardial infarction and is often preceded by an episode of emotional or physical stress, which may play a key role in the pathogenesis of the disorder. However, the exact mechanism still remains unknown.

We describe the history of an 83-year-old man presenting to the emergency department with clinical findings of acute myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation in the precordial leads, but emergency coronarography showed no significant obstruction. Left ventricular angiography demonstrated the typical apical ballooning. ST-segment elevation in the precordial leads on the admission ECG resolved the day after, but new anginal chest pain was accompanied by transient ST-segment elevation in the inferior leads, suggesting multivessel coronary spasm. Awareness of the existence of the syndrome is important and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with an acute coronary syndrome.

Key Words:

• takotsubo cardiomyopathy
• transient apical ballooning
• multivessel coronary spasm