Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy after administration of ergometrine following elective caesarean delivery: a case report.

Introduction: Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy (stress-induced cardiomyopathy or transient left ventricular ballooning) is characterized by clinical suspicion of an acute myocardial infarction with transient apical or midventricular dyskinesia of the left ventricle without significant coronary stenosis on angiography. The etiology of this disease remains obscure. One of the possible causes is myocardial ischemia induced by coronary vasospasm due to sympathetic activation.

Clinical, angiographic and cardiovascular magnetic resonance findings in consecutive patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

Background: The aim was to assess clinical, angiographic and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) findings in patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

Methods: Between 2003 and 2007, 20 consecutive patients admitted to our hospital with suspected acute myocardial infarction and presenting with apical ballooning in the left ventricular (LV) angiogram in the absence of a significant coronary artery disease, were included in the study. Echocardiography and CMR was performed in all patients.

Beta-blocker treatment of chronic systolic heart failure improves prognosis even in patients meeting one or more exclusion criteria of the MERIT-HF study.

Aims: Improved prognosis of patients with chronic systolic heart failure by treatment with beta-blockers has been shown in several randomized controlled multicentre trials. However, in clinical practice only a part of heart failure patients meet the inclusion criteria of these trials. The present study evaluates whether reduction of mortality by beta-blockers also can be achieved in patients presenting one or more exclusion criteria of the MERIT-HF trial.

Exercise anaerobic threshold and ventilatory efficiency identify heart failure patients for high risk of early death.

Background: The maximal oxygen uptake (peak VO2) is used in risk stratification of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Peak VO2 might be lower than maximally possible if exercise is stopped early because of lack of patient motivation or premature cessation by the investigator. In contrast, the anaerobic threshold (VO2AT) and the ventilatory efficiency (VE versus VCO2 slope) are less subject to these influences.