Emergency Medical Minute

Contributor: Ricky Dhaliwal, MD Educational Pearls: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as "broken heart syndrome,” is a temporary heart condition that can mimic the symptoms of a heart attack, including troponin elevations and mimic STEMI on ECG. The exact cause is not fully understood, but it is often triggered by severe emotional or physical stress. The stress can lead to a surge of catecholamines which affects the heart (multivessel spasm/paralysed myocardium). The name "Takotsubo" comes from the Japanese term for a type of octopus trap, as the left ventricle takes on a distinctive shape resembling this trap during systole. The LV is dilated and part of the wall becomes akenetic. These changes can be seen on ultrasound. The population most at risk for Takotsubo are post-menopausal women. Coronary angiography is one of the only ways to differentiate Takotsubo from other acute coronary syndromes. Most people with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy recover fully. References Amin, H. Z., Amin, L. Z., &