Stress (Takotsubo) cardiomyopathy (SC) is a peculiar form of acute, reversible myocardial dysfunction predominantly affecting the apical and mid left ventricular segments. This was originally described in Japan but is increasingly recognized all over the world especially in older women. There is evidence to support that excess sympathetic activation and catecholamine surges are potential mechanisms that cause this temporary myocardial 'stunning'. The amount of catecholamines in circulation of patients with SC was 2 to 3-fold higher when compared to subjects with acute myocardial infarction related equivalent cardiac dysfunction [Wittstein, et al. NEJM, 2005].~In this institution over the last two to three years the investigators have identified more than a dozen patients with stress cardiomyopathy. This diagnosis has been confirmed by echocardiographic documentation of normalization of left ventricular function over a course of few days to weeks. The investigators' overarching goal is to further characterize these individuals with the hope of identifying risk factors and developing strategies to prevent the occurrence of SC in situations where the likelihood in susceptible individuals may be high.
Stress (Takotsubo) cardiomyopathy (SC) is a peculiar form of acute, reversible myocardial dysfunction predominantly affecting the apical and mid left ventricular segments.~In this institution over the last two to three years the investigators have identified more than a dozen patients with stress cardiomyopathy. The investigators' overarching goal is to characterize these individuals with the hope of identifying risk factors and developing strategies to prevent the occurrence of SC in situations where the likelihood in susceptible individuals may be high.