Objective: Diagnosis of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (also known as stress cardiomyopathy or acute left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome) can be challenging in patients who are being treated for other diseases in the intensive care unit, because symptoms could erroneously be attributed to the underlying disease or patients may not experience symptoms due to analgesia and sedation. The aim of our study was to assess clinical features of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy occurring in the intensive care unit.
Design: Prospective observational study.
Setting: University hospital.
Patients: Six consecutive patients diagnosed with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy who were being treated for other diseases in the intensive care unit.
Interventions: None.
Measurements and main results: Sudden hemodynamic deterioration (i.e., sudden hypotension, tachycardia or drop in monitored stroke volume) requiring vasopressor support was the presenting symptom in five of the six patients. Only one patient was able to report angina-like chest pain, all others were unable to experience symptoms due to analgesia and sedation. The electrocardiogram was abnormal in all patients upon diagnosis, demonstrating either ST-segment elevation (n=2) and/or T-wave inversion (n=5). Mild elevation of cardiac enzymes disproportionate to the extent of wall motion abnormalities on left ventriculography was present in all patients. All patients survived their acute event.
Conclusions: Sudden hemodynamic deterioration requiring vasopressor support and/or ECG abnormalities consisting of ST-segment elevation, ST-segment depression or T-wave inversion may be the presenting symptom of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in the intensive care unit and should be included in the diagnostic algorithm.