Living with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy
A temporary heart condition, often after extreme stress, with symptoms that resemble a heart attack.
Understanding Takotsubo cardiomyopathy
Triggers can be intense emotional or physical stress such as grief, anger, surprise, illness, or surgery. Symptoms mimic a heart attack. It can occur at any time in life.
Signs & symptoms
Symptoms vary from person to person. GARD lists these:
- Sudden chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Irregular heartbeat
- Reduced squeezing of the lower tip of the left ventricle
Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.
Diagnosis
- 1Talk with your doctor
Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.
- 2See a specialist
Specialists who may be involved include heart and blood vessel specialists.
- 3Ask which tests can help
Your care team will decide which exams and tests can confirm the diagnosis.
- 4Connect with expert centers
Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation may keep lists of experts for this condition.
Care & treatment
- Care team
- Heart and blood vessel specialists (cardiologists)
- Expert care
- Expert lists: Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation
- Treatment
- GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
- Research
- Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.
General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.
Everyday life
Living with a rare condition is easier with support.
- Connect with Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation
- Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
- Ask about patient registries that help research
- Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Quick facts
GARD says the cause is not completely understood. Extreme emotional or physical stress can lead to it.
Also known as: acute stress cardiomyopathy; ampulla cardiomyopathy; apical ballooning syndrome; ballooning cardiomyopathy; broken heart syndrome; broken-heart syndrome
Patient organizations
- Children's Cardiomyopathy FoundationCardiomyopathy · United States
Broader rare-disease groups
- Global GenesRare Diseases · United States
- National Organization for Rare DisordersRare Diseases · United States
- Genetic AllianceRare Diseases · United States
- RARE FoundationRare Diseases · United States
You are more than your diagnosis
Perspectives from people navigating life with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.
Explore research for Takotsubo cardiomyopathy
Explore actively recruiting Takotsubo cardiomyopathy studies with HealthSpark.
Find actively recruiting studies for Takotsubo cardiomyopathy with HealthSpark. Share your city to explore research near you.
- Recruiting studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
- Share your city to look for research near you
- Eligibility is confirmed by the study team
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Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper · Study information from ClinicalTrials.gov · Eligibility is confirmed by the study team.
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