Falling from a height of about 3m, the woman was hospitalized in a coma. Four days later, the patient suddenly developed symptoms of acute myocardial infarction and was diagnosed with "broken heart syndrome".
Broken heart syndrome - Illustration photo
108 Central Military Hospital informed about a special case, a patient suffered a "double storm", diagnosed with "broken heart" syndrome after severe traumatic brain injury.
Previously in mid-February, the neuro-resuscitation department of 108 Central Military Hospital received a 65-year-old female patient in a coma due to falling about 3 meters from a ladder.
The patient was diagnosed with severe traumatic brain injury and received intensive resuscitation treatment, but responded poorly to treatment and fell into a deep coma.
On the 4th day after hospitalization, the patient suddenly developed symptoms of acute myocardial infarction with electrocardiographic changes; echocardiography showed a decrease in ejection fraction (EF) to 56%, left ventricular dilatation, severe hypokinesia in the mid- and apex regions, and elevated cardiac enzyme tests.
Doctor Le Dinh Toan, head of the hospital's neurosurgical intensive care unit, said the coronary angiography results did not detect any blockages.
The doctor therefore decided to take an image of the cardiac chambers. The results showed the typical movement disorder of Takotsubo syndrome, with increased contractility at the base and decreased movement at the apex, confirming that this was acute stress cardiomyopathy.
Dr. Toan also said that Takotsubo is the image of an octopus trap in Japanese. Takotsubo syndrome is a form of acute cardiomyopathy, which occurs when the body reacts to extreme stress by releasing excessive catecholamines.
The sudden increase in these hormones causes microvascular constriction and impaired heart function, causing symptoms similar to a heart attack but without coronary artery blockage.
"Identifying patients with 'broken heart syndrome' is important in treatment. Because using drugs to maintain blood pressure increases the burden on the heart, while Takotsubo treatment requires reducing the load on the heart muscle and controlling stress.
Doctors have been cautious between maintaining stable blood pressure and the risk of acute heart failure, while closely monitoring complications such as arrhythmia and cardiogenic shock," said Dr. Toan.
According to Dr. Toan, myocardial dysfunction at various levels has been recorded in patients with traumatic brain injury, especially severe traumatic brain injury.
However, this is a rare case in cardiomyopathy, studies around the world also report the rate of cardiomyopathy.
The expert also emphasized that the successful diagnosis of this case came from the decision to take images of the heart chambers, although this is not a routine test. Therefore, when treating patients with traumatic brain injury, it is necessary to pay attention and closely monitor the patient's cardiovascular condition.
Takotsubo syndrome, or "broken heart," is a transient and reversible acute heart failure that causes electrocardiographic changes and elevated cardiac biomarkers unrelated to coronary artery disease.
Treatment is primarily hemodynamic control and enhancement of myocardial contractility without increasing myocardial oxygen consumption. Although recovery is possible, the disease can lead to severe heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and arrhythmias in the acute phase, with recovery lasting from several weeks to several months.
What causes broken heart syndrome?Source: https://tuoitre.vn/hoi-chung-trai-tim-tan-vo-sau-chan-thuong-so-nao-nang-20250319150842574.htm
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