Takotsubo cardiomyopathy occurring during the recovery period of dobutamine stress echocardiography.

An 83-year-old Caucasian female was referred for dobutamine stress echocardiography. At peak dobutamine stress, no chest pain was elicited, and there were no ischemic electrocardiographic changes or inducible wall motion abnormalities. During recovery, however, the patient experienced chest burning, and ST-elevations were seen on recovery electrocardiography. Moreover, distal inferior and apical akinesis developed during recovery echocardiography. The patient was referred for coronary angiography, revealing apical akinesis and no obstructive stenoses. A follow-up echocardiogram 2 weeks later showed recovery of the "ballooned" segments. To our knowledge, this report is the third case of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy occurring during the recovery phase of dobutamine stress echocardiography.