Takotsubo Following Severe Anaphylactic Reaction during Anesthesia Induction

Introduction: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (apical ballooning or broken heart syndrome) is a reversible left ventricular dysfunction due to apical asynergy that occurs typically after sudden emotional stress in a subject without coronary disease. Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening, generalized hypersensitivity reaction, most often starting with urticaria and/or angioedema, that may involve cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Cardiovascular symptoms, including hypotension, cardiac arrhythmia and chest pain, are presumably linked to cardiac mast cell mediator release.

Case Report: We describe the case of a woman who experienced a profound reversible cardiomyopathy with typical features of Takotsubo's syndrome during an anaphylactic reaction.

Conclusion: Exposure to catecholamines and beta-receptor agonists used routinely during procedures and diagnostic tests can precipitate all the features of stress cardiomyopathy, including cardiac isoenzyme elevation and rapidly reversible cardiac dysfunction. These observations strongly implicate excessive sympathetic stimulation as central to the pathogenesis of this unique syndrome.