Anaphylactic shock-associated cardiomyopathy

Int J Cardiol. 2008 Jul 21;127(3):e136-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2007.04.136. Epub 2007 Jul 24.

Abstract

Acute heart failure in young people may have other etiologies than myocarditis. We report about a twenty-year-old female developing acute heart failure following an anaphylactic reaction after a Prick test. Initially her left ventricular ejection fraction was severely compromised on echocardiography but normalized quickly. We postulated an anaphylactic shock-associated cardiomyopathy due to the close temporal association to an anaphylactic reaction, the presence of hypereosinophilia, and the absence of specific serologic, microbiologic, and immunologic abnormalities. Anaphylactic-associated cardiomyopathy very likely represents a common cause of acute heart failure and should be thought of in young people with known atopy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anaphylaxis / complications*
  • Anaphylaxis / diagnosis*
  • Cardiomyopathies / diagnosis*
  • Cardiomyopathies / etiology*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Heart Failure / diagnosis
  • Heart Failure / etiology
  • Humans