Electrolyte Disorders as Triggers for Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy

Hyponatremia and takotsubo syndrome: a review of pathogenetic and clinical implications

Hyponatremia is a common electrolyte abnormality with important prognostic and therapeutic implications. It might exert detrimental effects on various organ systems including the central nervous system (CNS), bone, and heart along with its potential association with poor quality of life. These adverse effects might be largely mediated through a variety of mechanisms including osmotic stress, dysfunctional transmembrane exchangers, and enhanced oxidative stress.Interestingly, hyponatremia might also have an important association with takotsubo syndrome (TTS) that has been universally considered as a reversible form of cardiomyopathy usually emerging in response to various stressors. In this context, severe hyponatremia was previously reported to serve as a direct trigger of TTS evolution largely through its potential impact on CNS and heart. However, pathogenetic and clinical implications of hyponatremia still need to be thoroughly evaluated in patients with TTS. This paper aims to analyze the clinical features of published cases with TTS primarily triggered by hyponatremia and also aims to discuss the association between hyponatremia and TTS from a broader perspective.

Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy Associated With Acute Pancreatitis

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is classically associated with emotional stress in middle-aged women. In clinical practice, physical stressors are a more common cause of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Here, we present two patients who had acute pancreatitis as a physical stressor that caused Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, and an additional 13 cases identified in the literature. An important clinical feature of these cases is that because metabolic derangements are often encountered, close attention to electrolyte repletion with cardiac monitoring is indicated.

Reversible Takotsubo Syndrome Complicated With Acute Thromboembolic Stroke Co-Occurring With Cola-Induced Severe Hypokalemia

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is a poorly understood phenomenon that manifests as reversible myocardial damage. Despite the overall benign course of TTS, acute complications and significant mortality and morbidity are frequently encountered. However, the risk factors for developing such complications are not well determined. We present a case of reversible TTS within 48 hours after correction of cola-induced hypokalemia complicated by thromboembolic stroke. We present the patient's clinical presentation with imaging studies and discuss the case in light of related literature. A 62-year-old woman with a longstanding history of inadequate oral intake and excessively sweetened cola soft drinks consumption. Presented with progressive symmetrical quadriparesis and found to have severe hypokalemia with rhabdomyolysis, elevated troponin, and acute left ventricular dysfunction. The patient was diagnosed with TTS and hypokalemic paralysis. Her hospital course was complicated with an acute thromboembolic stroke of bilateral occipital lobes and left cerebellum. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy was reversible 48 hours after correction of severe hypokalemia. Cardiac ischemic workup was negative for any evidence of myocardial ischemia. In this presented case, TTS was revisable within 48 hours after the correction of cola-induced hypokalemia. However, patients with similar presentations might have a higher risk for in-hospital thromboembolic complications of TTS. 

Hypocalcemic cardiomyopathy after parathyroidectomy in a patient with uremia: A case report and literature review

Hypocalcemia is a rare, but reversible, cause of dilated cardiomyopathy. Although cardiomyopathy may cause severe heart failure, calcium supplementation can reverse heart failure. We report here a patient with uremia and secondary hyperparathyroidism, who was complicated by persistent hypocalcemia and refractory heart failure. The cardiac failure was refractory to treatment with digitalis and diuretics, but dramatically responded to calcium therapy and restoration of normocalcemia. As a result, the patient was eventually diagnosed with hypocalcemic cardiomyopathy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of this disease to be reported in a patient with uremia. Findings from our case may help clinicians to better understand hypocalcemic cardiomyopathy. Our case might also provide new insight into long-term cardiac complications and prognoses of patients undergoing parathyroidectomy due to secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Severe Hyponatremia-Induced Stress Cardiomyopathy: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Takotsubo or stress cardiomyopathy is a non ischemic disease affecting the myocardium, which presents with typical features of myocardial ischemia. Although the presentation with acute central chest pain and shortness of breath mimics acute myocardial ischemia, there is an absence of actual disruption of cardiac blood supply via the coronaries due to acute plaque rupture or vascular spasm. The underlying pathophysiology of this clinical entity remains largely unclear, but a definite association with physical or emotional stress has been well established, hence the term “stress cardiomyopathy.” The list of potential triggers continues to grow as the disorder is increasingly detected by clinicians and cardiologists, with better clinical insight and improved availability of cardiac investigations. We report a patient with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy associated with severe hyponatremia.

Hypocalcaemic cardiomyopathy: a description of two cases and a literature review

Hypocalcaemic cardiomyopathy is a rare form of dilated cardiomyopathy. The authors here present two cases in which symptomatic dilated cardiomyopathy was the result of severe hypocalcaemia. First, we report about a 26‐year‐old woman with primary hypoparathyroidism and then about a 74‐year‐old man with secondary hypoparathyroidism following a thyroidectomy. In both cases, the left ventricular systolic function improved after calcium supplementation. In the first case, a lack of compliance led to a repeated decrease of both serum calcium level and left ventricular systolic function. The authors also present a comprehensive summary of all cases of hypocalcaemic dilated cardiomyopathy that have been described in literature to date. The mean age of the affected patients was 48.3 years, of which 62% were female patients. The most common causes of hypocalcaemic cardiomyopathy are primary hypoparathyroidism (50%) and post‐thyroidectomy hypoparathyroidism (26%). In the post‐thyroidectomy subgroup, the median time for the development of hypocalcaemic cardiomyopathy is 10 years (range: 1.5 months to 36 years). Hypocalcaemic cardiomyopathy leads to heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in 87% of patients. Generally, the most common complications of hypoparathyroidism and/or hypocalcaemia are cerebral calcifications, cognitive deficit, and cataracts. Once calcium supplementation is administered, the disease has a good prognosis and, in most individuals, a significant improvement (21%) or even normalization (74%) of the left ventricular systolic function occurs.

Serratia Liver Abscess Infection and Cardiomyopathy in a Patient with Diabetes Mellitus: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Patient: Female, 45

Final Diagnosis: Serrata liver abscess with diabetes mellitus and cardiomyopathy

Symptoms: Anxiety • generalized weakness

Medication: —

Clinical Procedure: —

Specialty: General and Internal Medicine