Tako-tsubo cardiomyopaty after femur fracture

Davide Lazzarini, Cesare Cangiotti, Luca Morolli, Sante Morelli, Jonathan Montomoli, Giorgio Ioli, Paola Venturi, Giancarlo Piovaccari

Cardiovascular Diseases Department, Ospedale “Infermi”Rimini, Azienda USL di Rimini, Italy.
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Santarcangelo di Romagna, Azienda USL di Rimini, Italy.

DOI: 10.4236/health.2012.44036                

Abstract

We present the case of an 86-year-old woman referred to us from Orthopaedics Division after surgical treatment for femur fracture without personal or family history of ischemic cardiopathy. During hospitalization the patient had stomach-ache and the electrocardiogram demonstrated ST-segment elevation in anterior leads. The coronarography showed haziness, but no critical stenosis; ventricolography revealed apical ballooning of the left ventricle with severe systolic dysfunction. She was treated with dopamine in renal dose, beta-blockers and warfarin. When she was in fairly good condition, she started physiotherapy for endoprosthesis for the femur fracture. Clinicians should consider takotsubo cardiomyopathy in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with chest pain, especially in women with a recent history of physical stress.

Keywords

Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy; Acute Coronary Syndrome; Apical Ballooning Syndrome; Left Ventricular Disfunction; Broken-Heart Syndrome

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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