Farris Cindy, McEnroe-Petitte Denise, Kanayama Tiffanie
Cindy Farris, PhD(c), MSN, MPH, CNE, is a Lecturer, School of Nursing, Indiana University East, Richmond, Indiana. Denise McEnroe-Petitte, PhD, MSN, RN, is an Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Kent State Tuscarwas, New Philadelphia, Ohio. Tiffanie Kanayama, PhD(c), MSN, Ed, RN, is an Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Chaminade University of Honolulu, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Home Healthc Nurse. 2014 Jul-Aug;32(7):410-4. doi: 10.1097/NHH.0000000000000108.
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM), or broken-heart syndrome, is a form of cardiomyopathy (CM) that is significantly different from other common types. This form of CM occurs spontaneously and can be easily reversed. TCM is seen primarily in postmenopausal women with a recent stressful event. Patients with TCM often present with symptoms suggestive of a myocardial infarction. Home health-care and hospice clinicians interact frequently with caregivers and other family members who are living under stressful circumstances. It is important that home care clinicians be familiar with TCM and understand the relationship that may exist between stress, stressful events, triggers, and TCM.
