2008 Articles

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy associated with anesthesia: three case reports

Littlejohn, F. Craig; Syed, Omar; Ornstein, Eugene; Connolly Jr., E. Sander; Heyer, Eric J.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a form of transient, reversible left ventricular dysfunction that can mimic an acute coronary event. However, cardiac catheterization often reveals normal coronary arteries. Patients are often postmenopausal women who experience acute physical or emotional distress. The prognosis for this entity is quite favorable. In this report, we present three cases of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in patients having procedures involving anesthesia. Each case illustrates a different etiology for the syndrome: Patient, procedure, and anesthetic management.