title: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy after minor burn injury.
abstract: The relationship between severe emotional stress and subsequent acute cardiac dysfunction has been anecdotally noted for decades. In fact, cases of "death by fright" have been described since ancient times, and a growing body of evidence suggests that this phenomenon is due to an acute catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy. The authors present a case of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy complicating a minor burn injury that occurred during an operating room fire. Two PEA arrests occurred immediately after injury, and an intra-aortic balloon pump was required due to hemodynamic instability. The diagnosis was confirmed by echocardiogram and cardiac catherization. This condition is often unrecognized as a cause of hemodynamic instability and may be more common after burn injury than we presently recognize.
authors.affiliation: MetroHealth Medical Center Campus, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44109, USA.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wikiel
authors.forename: Lee W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Gemma
authors.forename: Charles J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Yowler
authors.forename: Tammy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Coffee
authors.forename: Christopher P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Brandt
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002395:Catecholamines; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005390:Fires; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D009873:Operating Rooms; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D054549:Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy / Q000209:etiology*; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D002395:Catecholamines; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents