Takotsubo cardiomyopathy prevalence and associated factors in patients presenting with a clinical picture of acute myocardial infarction in Palestine

BACKGROUND: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is a transient cardiac syndrome that manifests with symptoms resembling acute myocardial infarction (MI). It is characterized by temporary wall-motion abnormalities predominantly affecting the apical and mid-portions of the left ventricle, despite the absence of significant obstructive coronary disease. TC poses diagnostic challenges due to its resemblance to ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Our study aimed to determine the prevalence of TC and identify the factors associated with its occurrence in patients presenting with acute MI in Palestine. RESULTS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of patients diagnosed with TC at Al-Makassed hospital. Women accounted for 90.7% of TC cases (95% CI 88.2–93.2%). The mean age of affected individuals ranged from 62 to 76 years. The most common presenting symptoms were chest pain (83.4%, 95% CI 80.0–86.7%) and dyspnea (20.4%, 95% CI 16.3–24.5%), often following an emotionally or physically stressful event. Electrocardiography (ECG) on admission indicated ST-segment elevations in 71.1% of cases (95% CI 67.2–75.1%), accompanied by mild elevations of Troponins in 85.0% of cases (95% CI 80.8–89.1%). Despite the initial severity, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) improved from 20–49.9 to 59–76% within a mean time of 7–37 days. The in-hospital mortality rate was 1.7% (95% CI 0.5–2.8%), with complete recovery observed in 95.9% of cases (95% CI 93.8–98.1%) and rare recurrence. The underlying etiology is believed to involve exaggerated sympathetic stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: TC should be considered as a significant differential diagnosis in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) cases, particularly among postmenopausal women with a preceding stressful event. Our study provides insights into the prevalence and characteristics of TC in the Palestinian population. While stress has been recognized as a potential trigger for TC, further research is needed to explore if there are specific associations between occupation and other unique stressors in the Palestinian context and the prevalence of TC. The study’s results can raise awareness among healthcare professionals in Palestine about the prevalence and characteristics of TC in their patient population.