Guidelines for Diagnosis of Takotsubo (Ampulla) Cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND: It is important to differentiate takotsubo cardiomyopathy from other types of transient ventricular dysfunction. These guidelines, resulting from a workshop sponsored by the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, Idiopathic Cardiomyopathy Research Committee, outline the steps necessary for diagnosis of takotsubo cardiomyopathy. METHODS AND RESULTS: The survey was conducted by mailing a questionnaire to the researchers of the 203 institutions that had made presentations on this disease at scientific meetings of the Japanese Circulation Society from November 1989 to October 2002. The questionnaires were sent and collected on January 10, 2003. Based on the results of the questionnaire, the first edition of the guidelines for diagnosis of takotsubo cardiomyopathy was prepared and evaluated at the 2003 group meeting of the Research Committee. Out of 33 researchers in Japan who had published research papers on this disease, 21 responded to the request and provided their opinions. The guidelines were revised and were approved at the 2004 group meeting. CONCLUSIONS: This summary provides standard guidelines for patients with takotsubo cardiomyopathy.