Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy(TC) is a recently described acute cardiac syndrome, which the latest cardiomyopathy classification of the European Society of Cardiology describes as an unclassified cardiomyopathy. TC mimics acute myocardial infarction(AMI) and is characterised by ischaemic chest symptoms, an elevated electrocardiogram ST-segment, and moderately increased levels of cardiac disease markers. However, patients with TC have no coronary angiogram-detectable or non-obstructive coronary arterial disease(CAD), and left ventriculography documents transient left apical and middle ventricular wall dysfunction. In this review, we describe TC and evaluate epidemiological, clinical and instrumental features, pathophysiological mechanisms, therapy and prognosis of this syndrome, with a view to raising awareness of the disease.