Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: What is the epidemiological scale of the problem?

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) occurs mostly in postmenopausal women usually after a relevant emotional and/or physical stress. Male sex and advanced age (≥75 years) appear to be associated with higher rates of hospital complications and mortality. The concurrence of coronary artery disease is a common finding in many patients. The presence of a relevant coronary stenosis (≥50%) not supplying the dysfunctional myocardium is not an exclusion criterion for TTC. Despite the fact that in-hospital and long-term prognoses are generally favorable in the majority of cases, TTC may represent an important cause of sudden cardiac death. Further studies are needed to identify TTC patient cohorts at higher risk of complications and recurrences and to develop appropriate therapeutic strategies.