Spontaneous coronary artery dissection triggered post-ischemic myocardial stunning and takotsubo syndrome: two different names for the same condition

An acute coronary ischemic insult may “cause” prolonged post-ischemic myocardial stunning. In spite of being a major stress factor, acute coronary syndrome is regarded as an exclusion criterion for takotsubo syndrome. We describe the case of a 39-year-old female patient presented with anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Emergency coronary angiography revealed spontaneous coronary artery dissection confirmed with intravascular ultrasound examination. The patient developed clinical, angiographic and cardiac image features consistent with both post-ischemic myocardial stunning and takotsubo syndrome. Complete healing of the coronary dissection occurred with conservative treatment. There was also resolution of the greatest part of the left ventricular dysfunction. The findings in the present case indicate that the post-ischemic myocardial stunning and takotsubo syndrome are two different names for the same clinical condition and that the acute coronary syndrome triggers rather than excludes takotsubo syndrome.