Peripartum cardiomyopathy or takotsubo cardiomyopathy? The clinical case with arterial hypotension and pulmonary edema

Abstract

A 29-year old female patient without a history of cardiovascular diseases was admitted on emergency to a surgical hospital with acute calculous cholecystitis in 3 months after uncomplicated term birth. During laparoscopic cholecystectomy, she developed arterial hypotension with pulmonary edema, which required intravenous sympathomimetics. On the next day, after improvement of the condition and stabilization of hemodynamics, cardiac ultrasound showed diffuse left ventricular (LV) hypokinesis with the ejection fraction (EF) of 38 %. Electrocardiogram detected transient left bundle branch block followed by persistent negative T waves in leads I, aVL, and V2 V6. Troponin I concentration was increased to 1.2 ng /ml. Beta-blocker and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor were administered. At 10 days, the LV contractile function completely recovered with LV EF of 59 %. Magnetic resonance imaging did not reveal any signs of myocardial infarction or myocarditis. A differential diagnosis was performed between peripartum cardiomyopathy and Takotsubo syndrome. Considering the fast recovery of LV systolic function, the patient was discharged with a diagnosis of Takotsubo syndrome.