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Unexpected outcome (positive or negative) including adverse drug reactions
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy as a source of cardioembolic cerebral infarction
  1. Sun Moon Kim1,
  2. Shamik Aikat2,
  3. Alison Bailey2,
  4. Matthew White2
  1. 1Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
  2. 2Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Kentucky, Gill Heart Institute, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
  1. Correspondence to Dr Sun Moon Kim, sunmoon.kim{at}uky.edu

Summary

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a stress-related cardiomyopathy that mimics acute myocardial infarction. However, it is frequently without obstructive coronary artery disease and is mainly seen in postmenopausal women after an emotional or physiological event. In rare cases, it favours the formation of intracardiac mural thrombus and subsequent cardioembolic events. We report a rare case where a patient developed a cerebral infarction as a cardioembolic sequela of takotsubo cardiomyopathy following the death of her beloved dog. The patient was successfully managed with anticoagulation where a repeat echocardiogram 4 months later showed resolution of the apical thrombus along with recovery of systolic function and left ventricle regional wall abnormalities. This case serves to increase awareness about the rare cardioembolic complications of takotsubo cardiomyopathy and emphasise the need for serial echocardiographic examinations and anticoagulation.

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