• Rahman Shah, Michela R Shelton, and Kodangudi B Ramanathan.
• Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Tennessee, School of Medicine, Memphis, USA and Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Memphis, USA Shahcardiology@yahoo.com.
• Clin Med. 2014 Aug 1; 14 (4): 447448447-8.

AbstractTakotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is an unusual form of acute cardiomyopathy showing left ventricular apical ballooning. TCM can masquerade as ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). TCM usually occurs following a variety of emotional stressors, but physical stressors can also trigger the condition, as highlighted by the present case. TCM can occur after an acute medical illness; therefore, physicians should be aware of this condition as a potential cause of inotrope-resistant hypotension. In patients with hypotension and moderate-to-severe left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction, inotropic agents should be avoided, because they can worsen the degree of obstruction. Instead, beta-blockers are preferred, because they are capable of resolving the obstruction and consequently improve the haemodynamics.© 2014 Royal College of Physicians.

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