From the Guidelines
Cardiac Disease with Eponym Starting with T
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a cardiac disease with an eponym starting with the letter T. It is a condition where the heart muscle becomes weakened and cannot function properly, often triggered by intense emotional or physical stress 1.
Characteristics and Diagnosis
The condition is characterized by a distinctive ballooning of the left ventricle, which resembles a Japanese octopus trap, called a takotsubo 1. This cardiomyopathy accounts for approximately 2% of all patients admitted with a potential diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and typically affects postmenopausal women, with a mean age of 65 years 1.
Treatment and Management
Treatment typically involves supportive care and may include medications such as beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, and diuretics to manage symptoms and prevent complications. Advanced echocardiographic techniques, such as speckle-tracking imaging, can help identify complications like mitral regurgitation and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction 1.
Key Points
- Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is triggered by intense emotional or physical stress 1
- Characterized by a distinctive ballooning of the left ventricle 1
- Typically affects postmenopausal women, with a mean age of 65 years 1
- Treatment involves supportive care and medications like beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, and diuretics 1
From the Research
Cardiac Disease with Eponym Starting with the Letter T
- Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as broken heart syndrome, apical ballooning syndrome, or stress cardiomyopathy, is a reversible cardiomyopathy that occurs when a stressful emotional or physical event causes the left ventricle of the heart to dilate, leading to acute heart failure 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- The syndrome is characterized by akinesia of the apex of the left ventricle with hyperkinesia of the base of the heart, and is often triggered by a sudden emotional or physical stressor that abruptly increases catecholamine levels 2, 4, 6.
- Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is more common in women, particularly those who are post-menopausal, and can be indistinguishable from acute myocardial infarction in its clinical presentation 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- The diagnosis of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is often made using a combination of electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and cardiac MRI, and treatment is largely supportive, with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers sometimes used to reduce the likelihood of recurrent episodes 2, 3, 5.
- The prognosis for Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is generally good, with about 95% of patients making a full recovery, although the syndrome can sometimes recur and may be associated with life-threatening complications 3, 6.
- Another cardiac disease with an eponym starting with the letter T is Tetralogy of Fallot, which is a congenital heart defect characterized by four components: ventricular septal defect, pulmonary stenosis, right ventricular hypertrophy, and an overriding aorta. However, there is no research paper provided to assist in answering this question.