Pathophysiology of Takotsubo Syndrome as A Bridge to Personalized Treatment

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) consists of transient dysfunction of the left and/or right ventricle in the absence of ruptured plaque; thrombus or vessel dissection. TTS may be divided into two categories. Primary TTS occurs when the cause of hospitalization is the symptoms resulting from damage to the myocardium usually preceded by emotional stress. Secondary TTS occurs in patients hospitalized for other medical; surgical; anesthetic; obstetric or psychiatric conditions who have activation of their sympathetic nervous system and catecholamines release- they develop TTS as a complication of their primary condition or its treatment. There are several hypotheses concerning the cause of the disease. They include a decrease in estrogen levels; microcirculation dysfunction; endothelial dysfunction and the hypothesis based on the importance of the brain-heart axis. More and more research concerns the importance of genetic factors in the development of the disease. To date; no effective treatment or prevention of recurrent TTS has been found. Only when the pathophysiology of the disease is fully known; then personalized treatment will be possible.