A Case of Stress-Induced Cardiomyopathy After Ketamine Infusion.
Zach Hart, Thomas Anderson, Hanna Fanous, Sotiria Liori, Spencer Carter
Cureus May 1, 2024 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59709 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA 64-year-old woman with hypothyroidism and parotid sarcoidosis developed acute chest pain and shortness of breath after receiving a ketamine infusion for mental health treatment. Echocardiography showed a temporarily reduced ejection fraction and apical hypokinesis, and angiography found no blocked coronary arteries, consistent with stress-induced cardiomyopathy. The timing suggests ketamine may have triggered the cardiomyopathy. Ketamine is increasingly used for depression and substance use disorders, but caution is warranted in patients with cardiovascular disease, and more research on its cardiac effects is needed.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | 64-year-old female with hypothyroidism and isolated parotid sarcoidosis |
| Intervention | Ketamine infusion |
| Keywords | Cardiac Imaging-MRI Catecholamine-induced myocardial toxicity Iv ketamine Stress induced cardiomyopathy Ketamine infusion |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key finding | Ketamine infusion may have precipitated stress-induced cardiomyopathy in a patient without obstructive coronary disease. |
Abstract
We report the case of a 64-year-old female with a history of hypothyroidism and isolated parotid sarcoidosis who presented with acute-onset chest pain and dyspnea. Echocardiogram demonstrated transiently reduced ejection fraction with apical hypokinesis, without evidence of obstructive coronary lesions on angiography, compatible with stress-induced cardiomyopathy. She received a ketamine infusion as a mental health treatment shortly before the development of symptoms, suggesting that this medication may have precipitated her cardiomyopathy. In recent years, ketamine has become a popular option for treating mental health disorders, including major depressive disorder and substance use disorders. It should be used with caution in patients with known cardiovascular disease, and its cardiac effects warrant further study.