An unusual case report of stress-induced cardiomyopathy presenting as ventricular fibrillation cardiopulmonary arrest and third-degree atrioventricular block

BACKGROUND: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) can clinically present as an acute coronary syndrome; however, the former has regional wall motion abnormalities that extend beyond a single coronary vascular territory without any plaque rupture. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy classically involves apical ballooning of left ventricle (LV). It is uncommon for TCM to present as cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA) along with third-degree atrioventricular (AV) block. CASE SUMMARY: A 63-year-old female, underwent a ventricular fibrillation (VF) CPA. She was defibrillated three times and return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was achieved after 37 min. Her post-ROSC electrocardiogram showed non-specific ST-segment changes and T-wave inversions and soon progressed to third-degree AV block. Patient had a transvenous pacemaker placed to pace her heart. Echocardiogram showed an LV ejection fraction of 15–20% with akinesis of the apex and anteroseptum. An echocardiogram repeated 4 days after the cardiopulmonary arrests showed an ejection fraction of 60–65% with hypokinesis of mid anterior and antero-apical hypokinesis. However, the patient still continued to require a pacemaker and hence eventually received a dual-chamber pacemaker/implantable cardioverter-defibrillator for her AV block and ventricular arrhythmia. DISCUSSION: Most commonly TCM presents with chest pain and symptoms of acute myocardial infarction. We present a very rare presentation of TCM associated with VF and CPA along with third-degree AV block. There have handful of case reports documenting TCM causing CPA in some patients and other case reports showing TCM causing high degree AV block. In our patient, TCM was associated with both VF and CPA along with third-degree AV block.