Increased Incidence of Transient Left Ventricular Apical Ballooning (So-Called `Takotsubo' Cardiomyopathy) After the Mid-Niigata Prefecture Earthquake

Masahito Sato; Satoru Fujita; Atushi Saito; Yoshio Ikeda; Hitoshi Kitazawa; Minoru Takahashi; Junji Ishiguro; Masaaki Okabe; Yuichi Nakamura; Tsuneo Nagai; Hiroshi Watanabe; Makoto Kodama; Yoshifusa Aizawa

doi:10.1253/circj.70.947

Clinical Investigation

Increased Incidence of Transient Left Ventricular Apical Ballooning (So-Called `Takotsubo' Cardiomyopathy) After the Mid-Niigata Prefecture Earthquake

Masahito Sato, Satoru Fujita, Atushi Saito, Yoshio Ikeda, Hitoshi Kitazawa, Minoru Takahashi, Junji Ishiguro, Masaaki Okabe, Yuichi Nakamura, Tsuneo Nagai, Hiroshi Watanabe, Makoto Kodama, Yoshifusa Aizawa

Author information

Masahito Sato
Cardiovascular Center, Tachikawa General Hospital
Satoru Fujita
Cardiovascular Center, Tachikawa General Hospital
Atushi Saito
Cardiovascular Center, Tachikawa General Hospital
Yoshio Ikeda
Cardiovascular Center, Tachikawa General Hospital
Hitoshi Kitazawa
Cardiovascular Center, Tachikawa General Hospital
Minoru Takahashi
Cardiovascular Center, Tachikawa General Hospital
Junji Ishiguro
Cardiovascular Center, Tachikawa General Hospital
Masaaki Okabe
Cardiovascular Center, Tachikawa General Hospital
Yuichi Nakamura
Nagaoka Chuo General Hospital
Tsuneo Nagai
Nagaoka Red Cross Hospital
Hiroshi Watanabe
Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Science
Makoto Kodama
Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Science
Yoshifusa Aizawa
Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Science

Keywords: Apical ballooning, Earthquake, Emotional stress, Left ventricle, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2006 Volume 70 Issue 8 Pages 947-953

DOI https://doi.org/10.1253/circj.70.947

Details

Abstract

Background On October 23, 2004, a major earthquake, which registered 6.8 on the Richter scale, occurred in Niigata Prefecture in Japan. Emotional stress is important as a trigger of transient left ventricular apical ballooning (so-called `Takotsubo' cardiomyopathy), but its incidence and clinical profile immediately after a natural disaster have not been fully elucidated. Methods and Results `Takotsubo' cardiomyopathy was diagnosed in 16 patients (1 man, 15 women, mean age 71.5 years) within 1 month after the earthquake. Of them, 13 (81%) lived in areas where the Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale registered 6 or above, and 11 (69%) developed symptoms on the day of the earthquake. The incidence of `Takotsubo' cardiomyopathy 1 month after the earthquake was approximately 24-fold higher near the epicenter than that before the earthquake. Conclusion `Takotsubo' cardiomyopathy can occur on the day of the earthquake in elderly women living near the epicenter. (Circ J 2006; 70: 947 - 953)

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