title: Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy and post-traumatic stress disorder after a skiing accident: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Symptoms of a post-traumatic stress disorder can follow Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy. This vignette describes such a linkage and exemplifies the risk that these symptoms may remain undetected.
  
  
  METHODS
  After a skiing accident that had evoked existential fear of suffocation, a post-menopausal woman was diagnosed with Tako-tsubo syndrome and myocardial contusion. Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder appeared 2 weeks after remission of the cardiomyopathy. Two months later, a psychological assessment was conducted during cardiac rehabilitation. A post-traumatic stress disorder was diagnosed and successfully treated by narrative exposure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case report suggests that these patients should be informed during the initial hospital stay that post-traumatic stress symptoms could appear. It also suggests including a screening for post-traumatic stress disorder in the follow-up of these patients.
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Centre (Cardiological Diseases)-SKA-RZ Pensionsversicherungsanstalt, St. Radegund, Austria.
authors.forename: Birgit Maria
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Harb
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wonisch
authors.forename: Friedrich
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fruhwald
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fazekas
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012865:Skiing / Q000293:injuries* / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D054549:Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*