A rare complication of Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy

Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy, or stress cardiomyopathy, is a relatively rare and in most cases a reversible disease of the myocardium, with early signs being similar to an acute coronary syndrome. The pathophysiology isn't known to this day, the most accepted theory being an excess of catecholamines that probably plays a key role in stunning the myocardium. Excretion of catecholamines is mostly preceded by physical or emotional stress. In the first case report, we present a typical patient, in which Tako-tsubo syndrome was caused by long-lasting stress at work, being firstly misdiagnosed as a myocardial infarction. After making the diagnosis and proper treatment, the patient made a full recovery. The second case is about a patient with multimorbidity that was diagnosed with Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy after extreme emotional stress due to the death of a close person, along with an infection of the urinary tract. This case was associated with a very rare complication: a rupture of the left ventricular free wall.

Automated summary

Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as stress cardiomyopathy, is a relatively rare and reversible disease of the myocardium, which shares similar early symptoms with acute coronary syndrome. Its pathophysiology remains unclear, but an excess of catecholamines is believed to play a key role in damaging the myocardium. Both work-related stress and emotional stress can lead to the development of Tako-tsubo syndrome.