Takotsubo cardiomyopathy

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as stress cardiomyopathy and «broken heart syndrome,» is a sudden, transient cardiac syndrome that involves dramatic left ventricular apical akinesis and mimics acute coronary syndrome (ACS). It was first described in Japan in 1990 by Sato et al.

Patients often present with chest pain, have ST-segment elevation on electrocardiography (ECG), and have elevated cardiac enzyme levels consistent with myocardial infarction. However, when the patient undergoes cardiac angiography, left ventricular (LV) apical ballooning is present, and there is no significant coronary artery stenosis.

 The echo lady; Lorena De Vanna, is a cardiac and respiratory physiologist graduated from the Central University of Venezuela.