title: A lady with a broken heart: Apical ballooning syndrome.
abstract: Severe chest pain afteran emotional argumentresulted in the admissionof a healthy 72-year-oldwoman. She was haemodynamicallycompromised, with anelectrocardiogram (ECG) demonstratinganterior ST-depression and T-wave inversions(Fig. 1). Her 6-hour troponin T levelwas 132 ng/L. Cardiac catheterisationrevealed unobstructed coronary arteriesand a reduced left ventricular ejectionfraction (LVEF) of &lt;35%, with basalhyperkinesia and apical segment ballooning(Figs 2 - 5). She was discharged home after3 days of supportive therapy. At 3 monthsshe was asymptomatic, with an equilibriumradionuclide angiography scan revealing anormal heart with an LVEF of 73%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. rshcol002@gmail.com.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rush
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ntsekhe
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013577:Syndrome; D054549:Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*