[Cardiac toxicity of catecholamines. Report of two cases].
BACKGROUND
The role of catecholamines in the cardiac expression of pheochromocytoma is well-known. The physiopathology of the syndrome of Tako-tsubo remains more unclear.


METHODS
We describe 2 clinical cases of acute coronary syndrome with left ventricular dysfunction and no coronary artery stenosis. The first, a syndrome of Tako-tsubo, also known as transient left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome, is characterized by transient wall-motion in the absence of obstructive epicardial coronary disease. The second is a pheochromocytoma with myocardial suffering during hypertension crisis. Through the similarities of these 2 observations, we discuss the physiopathological assumptions to explain the syndrome of Tako-tsubo by underlining the essential place of the catecholamine hypersecretion.


CONCLUSIONS
Syndrome of Tako-tsubo and pheochromocytoma are 2 distinct clinical entities. The link between these 2 affections is probably the pathogenic role in cardiac toxicity with the catecholamines.
Schiano
P
P
Service de cardiologie, HIA Val-de-Grâce, 74, boulevard Port-Royal, 75005 Paris, France. patrick.schiano@orange.fr
Revel
F
F
Barbou
F
F
Guiraudet
O
O
Lerecouvreux
M
M
Monségu
J
J
D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced*; D000368:Aged; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000139:chemically induced; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005390:Fires; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013577:Syndrome; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000139:chemically induced*
D002395:Catecholamines