Abstract

A 67-year old woman, hospitalized for the management of infectious colitis, developed acute congestive heart failure. Two-dimensional echocardiography revealed left ventricular apical akinesia (ballooning) and basal hyperkinesis, which was compatible with stress cardiomyopathy. A marked QT prolongation and T wave inversion followed by nonsustained polymorphic ventricular tachycardia was noted in the electrocardiogram. Intravenous administration of magnesium completely suppressed the ventricular tachycardia. After recovery from the colitis, the follow-up ECG and echocardiogram were normalized. There was no evidence of ischemic heart disease in the coronary angiography or perfusion scan. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is one of the most important causes of acquired QT prolongation in ICU (intensive care unit) patients.. A careful monitoring of the QT interval in these patients is warranted particularly when drugs causing QT prolongation are used.

• Keywords: Long QT syndrome;Takotsubo cardiomyopathy;Torsades de pointes;