Familial Tako-tsubo Cardiomyopathy: Clinical and Echocardiographic Features Including Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings.

INTRODUCTION

Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is being recognized more frequently; and a familial form of this diagnosis has been suspected but is less well-established.

CASE: A 75-year-old patient with a family history of TCM was admitted with suspected ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Transthoracic echocardiography showed apical dyskinesis with hyperdynamic basal walls and a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 25%. Repeat echocardiography showed normal LVEF of 60% ejection fraction. Cardiac catheterization showed no significant stenosis.

DISCUSSION: TCM is characterized by transient systolic left ventricular dysfunction. A few cases of familial TCM have been reported in the literature and a genetic component is suspected.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there has been a paucity of data, familial cases of TCM have been reported. This case study addresses TCM and the familial occurrence of the syndrome, which may have a genetic basis.