Neurogenic stress cardiomyopathy in heart donors

Cardiac transplantation is severely restricted by donor availability. Left ventricular dysfunction due to neurogenic stress cardiomyopathy is often seen during donor evaluation and often presents a clinical dilemma for procurement. We report a case of a 23-year-old man with severe left ventricular dysfunction whose heart was successfully procured for transplantation. The brief case report is followed by an extensive review of neurogenic stress cardiomyopathy as well as donor evaluation for cardiac transplantation in the setting of such cardiomyopathy.