A case of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy after bronchoscopy

Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy (TCM), also known as Broken Heart Syndrome, is an acute stress-induced cardiomyopathy with transient cardiac failure. It is triggered by preceding extreme physical or psychological stress. The etiology remains unclear, however, pathophysiological activation of the adrenergic system causing catecholamine-induced myocardial dysfunction is proposed. Use/ overuse of short acting beta-2-agonist (SABA) is a possible predisposing factor. We report a case of TCM in a 64-year-old female after bronchoscopy with endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) and transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy (TNAB). The case shows a possible delay from symptom onset to echocardiographic visibility of TCM on and underlines the importance of reviewing a patient’s use of SABA prior to invasive procedures.