CASE REPORT An unusual case of cardiomyop)ath in a 7-year-old woman

A. Mosterd, W. Jaarsma, S.M. Roeffel In this report we describe a 75-year-old woman who presented with an acute coronary syndrome and transient catecholamine-induced cardiomyo-pathy with severe pulmonary oedema necessitating mechanical ventlation. During mehanical ven-tilation several episodes ofhypertension occurred despite severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction. A pheochromocytoma was diagnosed and after successful surgicalresection the patient's condition improved. Three months after surgery myocardial scintigraphic examination demonstrated a normal ejection fraction andno signs ofadenosine-induced ischaenia. (Neh HeartJ2005;13:62-64.) Key words: pheochromocytoma, acute coronary syndrome, cardiomyopathy Dheochromocytoma is a tumour synthesising and F storing catecholamines that most frequently arises from the adrenal medulla. Hypertension is the most common clinical feature.'-2 Ofthe patients with pheo-chromocytoma, 75 % have an abnormal electro-cardiogram, such as T-wave inversion, ST-segment elevations or depressions, or arrhythmias. Myocardial infarction as a manifestation of a PC is rare, as is a transient cardiomyopathy with severe pulmonary oedema.4'79 In this case report, a 75-year-old woman is described inwhom a myocardial infarction, transient cardiomyopathy with severe pulmonary oedema and supraventricular tachyarrhythmias were caused by a pheochromocytoma