Stress-induced cardiomyopathy: A review

In clinical practice it is essential to bear stress-induced cardiomyopathy (SICMP) in mind as it is an insufficiently known cardiac pathology that mimics acute coronary syndromes (ACS), often with signs of cardiac failure. In the chronic phase, it poses differential diagnostic problems with regard to coronary artery pathology. Taxonomic confusion, due to the pathology also being called “takotsubo” or “ampulla cardiomyopathy”, has resulted in inappropriate diagnoses and therapy. Available evidence strongly suggests that, in the presence of several cardiac risk factors, excessive sympathetic stimulation may induce this cardiomyopathy. The predilection of this cardiomyopathy for Mediterranean and Indo-Asian women, who represent 85% of cases, is probably explained by the fact that there is a significant correlation between female gender, a short (<158 cm) stature, a small (<1.9 m2) body surface area, and hypoplastic coronary arteries. Furthermore, 40% of SICMP patients have a hypoplastic branching of the coronary arteries in the apical region of the heart. This anomaly strongly favors the apical localization of the dyskinesia. The prognosis of SICMP is good as far as life expectancy is concerned. However, in most cases, the symptoms become chronic, medical treatment rarely improves dyspnea and chest pain, and the quality of life is, therefore, reduced. In this paper, we address diagnostic misunderstandings and we review the clinical and pathophysiological features of SICMP.