Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in an elderly patient with severe Alzheimer's disease: a case report

Abstract

We report on an 80-year-old woman with Alzheimer's disease who presented with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. As usual for this condition, our patient showed clinical symptoms of chest pain, electrocardiographic changes, elevated myocardial markers, and transient left ventricular apical ballooning in the absence of significant coronary artery disease. Because Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is frequently associated with emotional stress, which triggers an increase in circulating catecholamines, our case suggests that this event should not be neglected in Alzheimer's disease patients and promotes the adoption of a "prosthetic" approach for individuals with dementia.