The lived experience of Takotsubo Syndrome. Version 1.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The lived experience of Takotsubo Syndrome, and the impact of diagnosis on patients.
IRAS ID
237214
Contact name
Sian Davies
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Bangor University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
The proposed study is aiming to use interpretative phenomenological analysis to study and document the 'lived experience' of patients who have received a diagnosis of Takotsubo Syndrome, and to investigate the impact, if any this diagnosis had had on patient's lives. This particular phenomenon is a medical condition, Takotsubo Syndrome. It is a cardiac condition that was first described in 1990 by Japanese researchers, and is characterised by acute heart failure, which is usually (but not always) reversible. Sudden pump failure causes symptoms like chest pain, sweating, and shortness of breath, as well as potentially serious issues such as cardiac rupture and heart rhythm disturbance. Electrocardiographic (ECG) changes that suggest acute ST elevation myocardial infarction or ‘heart attack’ are usually present, and patients are very often given ‘heart attack’ treatment such as aspirin, and transported to a cardiac catheter laboratory to investigate their coronary arteries, but angiography shows no obstructive lesions in the vessels. There is a dearth of research available that looks into the affect the disease has on the patients, mainly due to the disease process not being fully understood.
Adult patients who reside within the geographical area of the Local Health Board, who have had a previous diagnosis of Takotsubo Syndrome, and who have participated in a local cardiac rehabilitation programme would be eligible to participate in the study, if informed consent was given. The study would consist of individual semi-structured interviews, conducted with participants in their home. The recorded interviews would last approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour.REC name
Wales REC 5
REC reference
18/WA/0404
Date of REC Opinion
21 Dec 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion