Project description:Case:A 69 year-old female with history of schizophrenia was transported to our hospital by ambulance due to coma. On arrival, she was hypotensive and tachycardic with a Glasgow coma scale score of 3 and a rectal core temperature of 40°C. Heatstroke was strongly suspected as the cause of the coma and hypotension. Active external cooling with an electric fan and cooled IV fluid administration were started. Her electrocardiogram (EKG) showed ST elevation in V2-6, II, III and aVF. Echocardiography revealed apical ballooning, which indicated Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Coronary angiography indicated normal coronary arteries. Outcome:After admission to the intensive care unit, her cardiovascular status gradually improved and she was transferred to the psychiatric ward on day 36. Conclusion:Heatstroke and Takotsubo cardiomyopathy can share the same pathophysiology. Close evaluation of hemodynamic status and myocardial damage is critical for survival.
Project description:IntroductionAtrial fibrillation (AF) is known as the most common arrhythmia and an independent risk factor for mortality. Recent studies suggest that AF is associated with morbidity and mortality in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC). However, a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature have not been done. We assessed the association between AF in patients with TTC and mortality by a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analysis.MethodsWe comprehensively searched the databases of MEDLINE and EMBASE from inception to January 2018. Included studies were published prospective or retrospective cohort studies that compared all-cause mortality in TTC with AF versus without AF. Data from each study were combined using the random-effects, generic inverse variance method of DerSimonian and Laird to calculate risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals.ResultsFive studies from August 2008 to October 2017 were included in this meta-analysis involving 2,321 subjects with TTC (243 with AF and 2,078 without AF). The presence of AF was associated with all-cause mortality (pooled odds ratio = 2.19, 95% confidence interval: 1.57-3.06, p < 0.001, I 2 = 0%).ConclusionAtrial fibrillation increased all-cause mortality by double among patients with TTC compared to without it. Our study suggests that the presence of AF in TTC is prognostic for all-cause mortality.
Project description:BackgroundGallbladder disease is a common condition after gastric bypass surgery. Even after weight loss, many bariatric patients continue to suffer from comorbid conditions. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a rare condition that mimics acute cardiac ischemia but seems to be caused by a catecholamine storm triggered by intense stress. Case Report. A 62-year-old female presented with acute right upper quadrant (RUQ) pain to the ER. She had a history of laparoscopic gastric bypass 5 years ago and had been noncompliant for 2 years. This noncompliance included missing follow-up appointments, gaining weight which caused poorly controlled DM, and not taking her vitamin supplements. Upon presentation, her WBC was elevated, her LFTs were normal, and imaging showed acute calculous cholecystitis. She was admitted and started on antibiotics with plans for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The next day, she developed acute chest pain, and troponins were elevated with ST changes on EKG. Echocardiography showed a ballooned left ventricle indicative for Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Symptomatic treatment including antibiotics, betablocker, and thiamine infusion was initiated. At three-month follow-up, ejection fraction had improved from <20% to >50%. The patient underwent interval laparoscopic cholecystectomy, which was technically very challenging due to severe ongoing acute and chronic cholecystitis. There were no cardiac issues, but the patient developed an abscess in the gallbladder fossa, which was successfully treated with oral antibiotics.ConclusionsTakotsubo cardiomyopathy complicating acute cholecystitis has thus far not been reported. Our patient had a history of gastric bypass and was noncompliant with vitamin supplementation. Thiamine deficiency may have contributed to the cardiac condition (wet beriberi).
Project description:Background COVID-19 has recently been associated with the development of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM). This scoping review aims to summarize the existing evidence regarding TCM in COVID-19 and offer future direction for study. Methods Following the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews, MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched for all peer-reviewed articles with relevant keywords including “Takotsubo”, “Stress-induced cardiomyopathy” and “COVID-19” from their inception to September 25, 2021. Results A total of 40 articles with 52 cases were included. Patients with TCM and COVID-19 showed only slight female predominance (59.6%), median age of 68.5 years, and were mostly of the apical subtype (88.6%). All-cause mortality was 36.5%. The median LVEF was 30%. Compared to those without TCM, those with TCM in COVID-19 had more critical illness, higher mortality, lower LVEF, and higher cardiac and inflammatory biomarkers. Notably, the diagnostic criteria of TCM were considerably different between case reports and observational studies. Conclusion This scoping review identifies that TCM in COVID-19 may have distinct features that distinguish this condition from TCM without COVID-19. Future studies are warranted to help describe risk factors, determine the utility of inflammatory biomarkers and serum catecholamine levels, and establish disease-specific diagnostic criteria.
Project description:BackgroundCardiovascular complications are increasingly recognized during the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Myocardial injury is most commonly described and its underlying mechanism is believed to be multifactorial. Next to Type 2 ischaemia, COVID-19 may lead to (peri)myocarditis or Takotsubo (or stress) cardiomyopathy.Case summaryA 72-year-old woman was admitted to the intensive care unit for mechanical ventilation because of respiratory insufficiency secondary to COVID-19 viral pneumonia. Seven days after admission, she developed new negative T-waves and a prolonged QTc interval on electrocardiography (ECG). Troponin levels were mildly elevated. Echocardiography showed a poor left ventricular systolic function with apical ballooning consistent with the diagnosis Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Seven days afterwards, the ECG and troponin levels normalized. Echocardiography showed improvement of left ventricular systolic function, however with persistent hypokinesia of the apical segments. Coronary artery disease was excluded using coronary computed tomography angiography. The patient was discharged home and follow-up echocardiography after 3 months showed normal contractility of the apical myocardial segments, with normalization of the left ventricular systolic function, as expected in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.DiscussionCOVID-19 caregivers should be aware of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy as complication of COVID-19, since regular use of QT-prolonging drugs combined with prolongation of the QTc interval in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy may lead to life-threatening arrhythmias. Furthermore, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy may lead to acute heart failure and even cardiogenic shock. Frequent ECG monitoring of COVID-19 patients therefore is of paramount importance and timely echocardiography should be obtained when ECG abnormalities or haemodynamical problems occur.
Project description:BACKGROUND: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a novel, yet well-described, reversible cardiomyopathy triggered by profound psychological or physical stress with a female predominance. OBJECTIVE: This review is designed to increase general clinician awareness about the diagnosis, incidence, pathogenesis, and therapies of this entity. DATA SOURCES: A complete search of multiple electronic databases (Pubmed, EMBASE, Science Citation Index) was carried out to identify all full-text, English-language articles published from 1980 to the present date and relevant to this review. REVIEW METHODS: The following search terms were used: takotsubo cardiomyopathy, stress-induced cardiomyopathy, and left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome. Citation lists from identified articles were subsequently reviewed and pertinent articles were further identified. RESULTS: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is typically characterized by the following: 1) acute onset of ischemic-like chest pain or dyspnea, 2) transient apical and mid-ventricular regional wall-motion abnormality, 3) minor elevation of cardiac biomarkers, 4) dynamic electrocardiographic changes, and 5) the absence of epicardial coronary artery disease. The pathogenesis of the syndrome is unknown but has mostly been associated with acute emotional or physiologic stressors. Dote, Sato, Tateishi, Uchida, Ishihara (J Cardiol. 21(2):203-214, 1991); Desmet, Adriaenssens, Dens (Heart. 89(9):1027-1031, Sep., 2003); Bybee, Kara, Prasad, et al. (Ann Intern Med. 141(11):858-865, Dec 7, 2004); Sharkey, Lesser, Zenovich, et al. (Circulation. 111(4):472-479, Feb 1, 2005) The short and long-term prognosis of these patients is overwhelmingly favorable and often only requires supportive therapy. CONCLUSION: Whether an emotional or physical event precedes one's symptoms, it is apparent that takotsubo cardiomyopathy case presentations mimic ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, and thus is an important entity to be recognized by the medical community.
Project description:Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) represents a common inherited cardiac disorder with well-known complications Including stroke and sudden cardiac death. There is a recognised association between HCM and the development of AF. This review describes the epidemiology of AF within the HCM population and analyses the risk factors for the development of AF. It further discusses the outcomes associated with AF in this population, including the evidence in support of higher stroke risk in patients with HCM with AF compared with the general AF population. Finally, the evidence and recommendations for anticoagulation in this patient group are addressed.
Project description:Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing pandemic that has affected millions of individuals worldwide. Prior studies suggest that COVID-19 may be associated with an increased risk for various cardiovascular disorders, such as myocardial injury, arrhythmia, acute coronary syndrome, and venous thromboembolism. Early reports of non-COVID-19 patients have described the concurrence of takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) and spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD). However, the interplay between COVID-19, TTC and SCAD has not been well established. We herein propose two sets of two-hit hypotheses for the development of SCAD and TTC in the context of COVID-19. The first two-hit hypothesis explains the development of SCAD, in which TTC-associated formation of vulnerable coronary substrate serves as the first hit (predisposing factor), and COVID-19-associated inflammation and vascular disruption serves as the second hit (precipitating factor). The second two-hit hypothesis is proposed to explain the development of TTC, in which SCAD-associated formation of vulnerable myocardial substrate serves as the first hit, and COVID-19-associated sympathetic overactivity serves as the second hit. Under this conceptual framework, COVID-19 poses a double threat for the development of SCAD (among patients with underlying TTC) as well as TTC (among patients with underlying SCAD), thereby forming a reciprocal causation. This hypothesis provides a rationale for the joint assessment of TTC and SCAD in COVID-19 patients with pertinent cardiovascular manifestations.