Takotsubo

It's Dr Grumble's 12th day at work. He's been 'on take' which is not without its stresses. But the weather has been warm and the number of admissions very manageable. It's actually been enjoyable. And, of course, even at his great age Dr Grumble is still learning. Medicine is like that. You never know it all. There's always something new.

On today's ward round we had a lady who Dr Grumble thought had acute coronary syndrome. Nothing unusual about that. She had developed severe chest pain while getting upset about something. One of the joys of the take is that you are surrounded by bright, everchanging (shiftworking) young doctors. This week's were excellent. Today's were all were female. It's nothing to do with the Grumble attractiveness. It's everything to do with the feminisation of medicine. And some women in medicine are concerned about that. One of these ladies suggested an alternative diagnosis for the woman with the chest pain. Dr Grumble never minds helpful suggestions but it is a little awkward when the suggested diagnosis is not a condition he knows much about. And Dr Grumble does not know much about takotsubo syndrome. He did not even know what a takotsubo is. But he does now. It's an octopus trap. And here is one:

Now what do Japanese octopus traps have to do with Dr Grumble's patient? Does the picture below help?

Perhaps not. You can read all about takotsubo syndrome here.

And, in case you're wondering, the patient had acute coronary syndrome and is doing very well.

This was first posted on 4th May 2007. It has been republished now because Dr Grumble has just seen a more convincing case of takotsubo syndrome on his post take ward round and there seemed to be some ignorance about the condition amongst those accompanying him. And it's a harmless enough post. Nothing remotely political or critical here.