title: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, or broken-heart syndrome.
abstract: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy mimics acute coronary syndrome and is accompanied by reversible left ventricular apical ballooning in the absence of angiographically significant coronary artery stenosis. In Japanese, "takotsubo" means "fishing pot for trapping octopus," and the left ventricle of a patient diagnosed with this condition resembles that shape. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, which is transient and typically precipitated by acute emotional stress, is also known as "stress cardiomyopathy" or "broken-heart syndrome."Herein, we describe the clinical angiographic characteristics of 4 patients who exhibited this syndrome, and we review the existing literature and propose reasons to conduct prospective studies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. virani@bcm.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Salim S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Virani
authors.forename: A Nasser
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Cesar E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Mendoza
authors.forename: Alexandre C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Marchena
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D013318:Stroke Volume; D013577:Syndrome; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology