TAKOTSUBO CARDIOMYOPATHY (LEFT VENTRICULAR BALLOONING SYNDROME) INDUCED DURING DOBUTAMINE STRESS ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is increasingly recognised as a syndrome, usually provoked by severe mental stress and associated with acute "ballooning" or dyskinesis of the left ventricle. Although the etiology of takotsubo syndrome remains obscure, catecholamines release appears to be the principal trigger. The case presented in this article illustrates how the use of catecholamines stressors in an already anxious patient induced an acute Takotsubo syndrome mimicking acute myocardial infarction. It is likely that other cases of Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) induced myocardial infarction is in fact due to takotsubo syndrome.