Stress Cardiomyopathy in COVID-19 Disease

Maria Cristina Pasqualetto; Eleonora Secco; Manuele Nizzetto; Moreno Scevola; Lorella Altafini; Alberto Cester; Fausto Rigo

doi:10.12890/2020_001718

Stress Cardiomyopathy in COVID-19 Disease

Eur J Case Rep Intern Med. 2020 May 15;7(6):001718. doi: 10.12890/2020_001718. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Maria Cristina Pasqualetto¹, Eleonora Secco¹, Manuele Nizzetto¹, Moreno Scevola¹, Lorella Altafini¹, Alberto Cester¹, Fausto Rigo¹

Affiliation

¹ ULSS 3 Serenissima (COVID-19 Hospital), Dolo, Italy.

Abstract

Patients affected by COVID-19 pneumonia may develop stress cardiomyopathy, also known as Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), at different stages during the disease and with different degrees of left ventricular dysfunction. We describe three cases of TTS in COVID-19-positive patients with different clinical presentations and outcomes. One of them died, while in the other two coronary angiography confirmed the diagnosis but was postponed until after pneumonia resolution because of the risk of virus spread.

Learning points: An association between COVID-19 and cardiac involvement is highlighted.The incidence of Takotsubo syndrome has increased during this pandemic, possibly because it is caused by acute stress.

Keywords: COVID-19; Takotsubo syndrome; cardiomyopathy.