Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy with transient global amnesia and cerebellar embolic stroke triggered by existential fear

Background: Embolic stroke is a complication of Tako-Tsubo-cardiomyopathy (TTC), transient left ventricular dysfunction mimicking myocardial infarction without coronary culprit lesion explaining the whole left ventricular dysfunction. Transient global amnesia (TGA) is characterized by sudden onset of anterograde amnesia without compromise of other neurologic functions. Case report: A 57 years old female was admitted because of sudden confusion and loss of her memory after emotional stress. TGA was diagnosed. Because of chest pain and laboratory tests indicating myocardial ischemia, she underwent coronary angiography which was normal. Within the following 24 h her memory improved. She complained about severe vertigo and cerebral magnetic resonance imaging showed a recent ischemia in the left cerebellum. Conclusions: TGA is not a disease for the neurologists exclusively but also cardiac comorbidities have to be considered and cardiologists should be involved in the acute care of these patients in order not to overlook life-threatening diseases. (C) 2018 Polish Neurological Society. Published by Elsevier Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.