Stress Cardiomyopathy/ Takotsubo cardiomyopathy Diagnosis: angiography electrocardiogram, chest x-ray, echocardiogram, mri

Stress Cardiomyopathy/ Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy - Diagnosis

The doctor will perform an initial evaluation on the patient before ordering tests to check for stress cardiomyopathy.

Some initial diagnostic tests can include:

Electrocardiogram (ECG): This measures your heart’s electrical activity which can differentiate between stress cardiomyopathy and a heart attack.
Coronary angiography: This is a minimally invasive test which is done to rule out the possibility of a heart attack. A dye will be injected into the blood vessels of the heart before moving X-ray images are taken. Patients suffering from a heart attack often have obstructions in their blood vessels, which can be seen in the X-ray. However, those suffering from stress cardiomyopathy usually do not have blocked blood vessels.
Echocardiogram: This is an ultrasound scan for assessment of heart function.
Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): This creates detailed images of the heart structure, and may help to differentiate stress cardiomyopathy from other conditions that can cause a weak heart function.