Stress cardiomyopathy is a disease characterized by an acute systolic dysfunction of the left ventricle of the heart which is fully reversible and does not affect basal segments of the left ventricle. It is not accompanied by significant stenoses of the coronary arteries and it is caused by a preceding stressful situation. This article provides an overview of the ethiopathogenesis, diagnostic and therapeutic methods. Finally, we present a case report of our patient who suffers from a rare form of the midventricular type of stress cardiomyopathy.

        Key words: cardiomyopathy, left-side ventriculography, selective coronarography, echocardiography, apical ballooning.