title: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in a jeweler following a hold-up: forensic considerations.
abstract: The authors present a case of takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) following physical assault. In France, public prosecutor orders a medicolegal assessment after an assault for all living victims. Medicolegal assessment aims to establish a causal relation between an aggression and the injury sustained. An 80-year-old jeweler was the victim of assault, restraint and confinement during the hold-up of his jewelry store. After the event, he experienced constrictive chest pain with a sensation of oppression. Transthoracic echography showed apical and middle wall akinesis with apical ballooning pattern. In this case, the experts reasonably accepted that there was a direct, certain, and exclusive causal relation between the aggression and the cardiomyopathy. Forensic specialists should be aware of TTC because it is a frequent complication of stress situations and its incidence in forensic cases is probably underestimated.
authors: Service de Médecine Légale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Rangueil, Avenue du Professeur Jean Poulhès, 31059, Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
authors: Frederic
authors: F
authors: Savall
authors: Fabrice
authors: F
authors: Dedouit
authors: Norbert
authors: N
authors: Telmon
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Rougé
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology; D052279:Creatine Kinase, MB Form / Q000097:blood; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D013318:Stroke Volume; D054549:Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D019210:Troponin I / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D019210:Troponin I; D052279:Creatine Kinase, MB Form
keywords: cardiology; causal relation; forensic science; physical assault; takotsubo cardiomyopathy; violence