Right and Left Ventricular Takotsubo: Same Two-Headed Monster or Different Beasts?

Right ventricular involvement in takotsubo cardiomyopathy is poorly understood and may be more common than previously reported. The significant hemodynamic ramification of this condition is elicited in this case report in which an 81-year-old female suffered a deadly biventricular takotsubo cardiomyopathy with subsequent resolution of left ventricular function but the persistence of right ventricular dysfunction. In this case, we highlight the importance of shifting focus to different recovery patterns within the two ventricles. Through a review of published cases, we have found an absence of attention to the right ventricle, an inconsistency in the appropriate diagnostic criteria of right ventricular takotsubo, and a lack of reporting on its recovery timing. This knowledge gap requires future studies.