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Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a temporary condition caused by a surge of stress hormones that can mimic a heart attack. It is triggered by a traumatic event and is more common in middle-aged or elderly women. Treatment is similar to that for a heart attack, and most patients recover fully within a few weeks. Follow-up visits are important to ensure no permanent damage has occurred.
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a rare, temporary disease that has symptoms similar to a heart attack. Unlike a heart attack, however, takotsubo cardiomyopathy does not result in decreased blood flow. Instead, the heart receives a surge of stress hormones that causes left ventricular swelling, chest pains, shortness of breath, and an irregular heartbeat. A particularly stressful physical or emotional situation, such as a traumatic injury or the sudden death of a family member, can trigger an attack. The condition is not life-threatening in most cases, and most patients are able to make a full recovery within a few weeks of an episode.
The exact causes of takotsubo cardiomyopathy aren’t known, but research suggests that stress hormones such as adrenaline play a key role. A surge of hormones is released into the bloodstream during or immediately following a traumatic event. When they reach the heart, the left ventricle is overwhelmed and temporarily weakened or paralyzed. The result is a sudden pause in blood pumping that triggers symptoms similar to a heart attack. Female patients are much more likely to have takotsubo cardiomyopathy than men, and most sufferers are middle-aged or elderly.
Early symptoms of takotsubo cardiomyopathy can include weakness, difficulty breathing, and severe chest pain. A person may also begin to sweat, feel dizzy and nauseous, and possibly pass out. Your heartbeat may be unusually fast, slow or irregular. Rarely, symptoms can become severe enough to cause sudden, life-threatening heart or lung failure.
Most patients who are eventually diagnosed with takotsubo cardiomyopathy are treated for heart attacks when they are taken to the emergency room. Fortunately for sufferers, standard heart attack treatments are also effective in improving the acute symptoms of less severe disease. Aspirin and beta-blockers are commonly given to improve heart rhythm and blood flow. An accurate diagnosis can be made once the patient is stable. X-rays, ultrasounds, and electrocardiograms allow doctors to check for signs of a heart attack or the left ventricular swelling characteristic of takotsubo cardiomyopathy.
Most patients treated for takotsubo cardiomyopathy are able to leave the hospital in less than a week. Short courses of oral medications may be prescribed to ensure their stress levels and blood pressure remain stable. Several follow-up visits in the months following an episode are important to make sure that no permanent damage has occurred. Most people have no lasting health problems after treatment and the risk of a recurring attack is very low.
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