Case Report: My lung broke my heart! Takotsubo cardiomyopathy due to pneumonia [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]

• Published in: F1000 research Vol. 7; p. 518
• Main Authors: Ahmed, Navid, Gandhi, Himali, Sims, Daniel B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Faculty of 1000 Ltd 2018; F1000 Research Limited; F1000 Research Ltd
• Subjects: Angiography; Cardiology; Cardiomyopathy; Cardiovascular disease; Case Report; Case reports; Chest; Coronary artery; Coronary vessels; Cough; Creatinine; Dementia; Echocardiography; EKG; Electrocardiography; eng; Etiology; Fever; Geriatrics; Heart; Heart attacks; Heart diseases; Heart failure; Infections; Medical imaging; Myocardial infarction; Nursing homes; Pain; Patients; Pneumonia; Sepsis; Stents; Takotsubo cardiomyopathy; Ultrasonic imaging; Vein & artery diseases; New York; United States > US; Heart failure; Sepsis; Pneumonia; Takotsubo cardiomyopathy; Cardiology; Geriatrics
• ISSN: 2046-1402; 2046-1402
• DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.14546.1

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC), also known as stress-induced cardiomyopathy, is a cardiac syndrome that often mimics acute myocardial infarction. TTC is commonly triggered by physical or emotional stress; however, acute infection is a rarer etiology. This report concerns the case of an 82-year-old female who presented with non-positional and non-pleuritic chest pain, with an associated fever and cough and chest x-ray findings consistent with pneumonia. Cardiac enzymes and ECG findings were consistent with acute coronary syndrome (ACS); however, during coronary angiography, no coronary artery disease could explain the patient's ACS. A post-catheterization echocardiogram revealed an ejection fraction of 25%, with apical akinesis. A repeat echocardiogram 4 weeks after presentation showed a normal EF and normal wall motion, confirming a diagnosis of TTC.