In-hospital triggers of takotsubo syndrome
- \(\bf Background\) Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is characterized by acute left ventricular dysfunction, mimicking an acute myocardial infarction, in the absence of obstructed coronary arteries. It is often triggered by physical or emotional stress, with catecholamines playing a central role in its pathophysiology. Recent advances have been made in categorizing TTS patients based on trigger events and comorbidities, as well as proposed classifications differentiating primary and secondary TTS. In-hospital triggers for (secondary) TTS appear to be quite common, and our aim is to bring attention of this prevalent phenomenon. \(\textbf {Case summary}\) We present the clinical course of an 80-year-old man who developed TTS after witnessing the sudden death of his roommate during his hospital stay. Initially hospitalized for bradycardia and complete atrioventricular block, the patient was discharged after a pacemaker implantation. However, he returned to the hospital 3 days later with chest pain and other symptoms indicative of TTS. Diagnostic tests confirmed apical ballooning consistent with TTS, and subsequent echocardiograms showed a substantial improvement in left ventricular function. \(\bf Discussion\) The case is classified as in-hospital TTS, occurring unexpectedly during medical care, and suggests that secondary TTS could represent a certain ‘basic risk’ for hospitalized patients. We want to emphasize the importance of reducing pain and fear in the hospital setting and encourage further research to understand the association between TTS and medical procedures and therapies. Overall, this case underscores the need for strategies to reduce the frequency of TTS in hospitalized patients.
Author: | Assem AweimerORCiDGND, Ibrahim El-BattrawyORCiDGND, Patrick Sebastian BeckGND, Andreas MüggeORCiDGND |
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URN: | urn:nbn:de:hbz:294-110919 |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjcr/ytad556 |
Parent Title (English): | European Heart Journal - Case Reports |
Subtitle (English): | a case report on witnessing sudden death in a hospital roommate |
Publisher: | Oxford University Press |
Place of publication: | Oxford |
Document Type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Date of Publication (online): | 2024/03/20 |
Date of first Publication: | 2023/11/09 |
Publishing Institution: | Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsbibliothek |
Tag: | Open Access Fonds Case report; In-hospital mortality; Takotsubo syndrome |
GND-Keyword: | Stress |
Volume: | 7 |
Issue: | 12 |
First Page: | 1 |
Last Page: | 4 |
Note: | Article Processing Charge funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and the Open Access Publication Fund of Ruhr-Universität Bochum. |
Institutes/Facilities: | Berufsgenossenschaftliches Universitätsklinikum Bergmannsheil, Medizinische Klinik II, Kardiologie und Angiologie |
Dewey Decimal Classification: | Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / Medizin, Gesundheit |
open_access (DINI-Set): | open_access |
Licence (English): | Creative Commons - CC BY 4.0 - Attribution 4.0 International |