Reversible left ventricular dysfunction “takotsubo” cardiomyopathy associated with pneumothorax

Y J Akashi, M Sakakibara, F Miyake

An 83 year old woman presented to the emergency department with chest pain and dyspnoea. Chest radiography showed pneumothorax of the left lung. Arteries were normal on coronary angiography. Left ventriculography showed asynergy of apical akinesis and basal hyperkinesis. Within 18 days, the asynergy improved without any specific treatment. In the present case the left ventricular dysfunction may have been induced by altered catecholamine dynamics as a result of pneumothorax.

(Heart 2002;87:e1) www.heartjnl.com/cgi/content/full/87/2/e1

Myocardial infarction during adenosine stress test

J E Polad, L M Wilson

A 65 year old woman with history of ischaemic heart disease underwent standard adenosine stress test for myocardial perfusion imaging. She sustained inferior myocardial infarction during the final stages of the stress test. She was admitted to the coronary care unit and received thrombolytic treatment. The patient made an uneventful recovery. Adenosine is widely used for myocardial stress imaging tests and has a good safety profile. So far there has been only one other reported myocardial infarction during adenosine stress test, which was under special circumstances because three days before the test the patient had undergone percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty when a severe circumferential dissection was noted. The present patient's case highlights the need to be aware of rare but potentially serious complications of adenosine, even though it generally has an excellent safety record for use in myocardial stress testing.

(Heart 2000;87:e2) www.heartjnl.com/cgi/content/full/87/2/e2

Unusual case of refractory hypertension: late presentation of the mid-aortic syndrome

S Kumar, R W Bury, D H Roberts

A 58 year old patient with refractory hypertension, chronic renal failure, and widespread arterial bruits is described. Investigations found hypoplasia of the major blood vessels, particularly the aorta, leading to low flow nephropathy.

(Heart 2000;87:e3) www.heartjnl.com/cgi/content/full/87/2/e3