Korean J Crit Care Med.  2007 Dec;22(2):101-105.

A Case of Stress Cardiomyopathy Complicated by Torsades de Pointes in a Patient with Acute Colitis: A Case Report

• Kim H
• Nam GB
• Lee SJ
• Lee HK
• Hong Y
• Choi KJ
• Kim YH

Abstract

A 67-year old woman, hospitalized for the management of infectious colitis, developed acute congestive heart failure. Two-dimensional echocardiography revealed left ventricular apical akinesia (ballooning) and basal hyperkinesis, which was compatible with stress cardiomyopathy. A marked QT prolongation and T wave inversion followed by nonsustained polymorphic ventricular tachycardia was noted in the electrocardiogram. Intravenous administration of magnesium completely suppressed the ventricular tachycardia. After recovery from the colitis, the follow-up ECG and echocardiogram were normalized. There was no evidence of ischemic heart disease in the coronary angiography or perfusion scan. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is one of the most important causes of acquired QT prolongation in ICU (intensive care unit) patients.. A careful monitoring of the QT interval in these patients is warranted particularly when drugs causing QT prolongation are used.

Keyword

Long QT syndrome; Takotsubo cardiomyopathy; Torsades de pointes

MeSH Terms

Administration, Intravenous
Aged
Colitis*
Coronary Angiography
Echocardiography
Electrocardiography
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Heart Failure
Humans
Hyperkinesis
Long QT Syndrome
Magnesium
Myocardial Ischemia
Perfusion
Tachycardia, Ventricular
Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy*
Torsades de Pointes*
Magnesium