title: Symptoms in patients with takotsubo syndrome: a qualitative interview study.
abstract: The aim of the study was to investigate the meaning of narrated symptoms in connection to takotsubo syndrome.
  
  
  
  Qualitative study consisting of 25 interviews, 23 women and 2 men aged 39-84 and living in Region Västra Götaland, Sweden. The transcribed text was analysed with phenomenological hermeneutics.
  
  
  
  The interviewees reported a large number of symptoms before, during and after the acute onset of takotsubo syndrome, including pain, affected breathing, lassitude, malaise and nausea. Several of these have not been reported previously. Symptoms before the acute onset were, even if they had been prominent, ignored by the interviewees for various reasons. During the acute phase, the symptoms could no longer be ignored and the interviewees sought healthcare. The remaining residual symptom after discharge from hospital caused a great deal of worry because the interviewees feared that they would be permanent and they felt they could not live this way. On the whole, becoming ill and having a large number of symptoms greatly impacted the lives of the interviewees and made them re-evaluate how they had been living. Furthermore, they reported feeling alone and lost regarding their symptom burden, especially in relation to their residual symptoms, which affected their health and ability to return to daily life.
  
  
  
  Acute symptoms, and symptoms before and after the acute ones, are a major part of the illness experience for patients with takotsubo syndrome and affect their health and well-being. Assessment of symptoms should be an integrated part of care to promote health. One way of achieving this is through the patients' own narratives of their experiences, which are an important component in person-centred care.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden University of Gothenburg Centre for Person-Centred Care (GPCC), Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7579-4974
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wallström
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden University of Gothenburg Centre for Person-Centred Care (GPCC), Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ulin
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Elmir
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Omerovic
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden University of Gothenburg Centre for Person-Centred Care (GPCC), Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Inger
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ekman
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000208:Acute Disease / Q000523:psychology; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D013548:Sweden; D063189:Symptom Assessment; D054549:Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: illness experience; phenomenological hermeneutics; qualitative method; symptoms; takotsubo syndrome