AccScience Publishing / BH / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/BH025090012
REVIEW ARTICLE

Prognostic factors of Takotsubo syndrome: A review

Vicky Kumar1* Haris Muhammad2 Own Khraisat3 Gaith Al-Zoubi4 Ehab Alkhawaldeh4 Amer Hammad3 Joan Fallouh5 Rola Ali6 Ilsa Fatima7 Nauman Khalid8
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1 Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States of America
2 Department of Cardiology, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark, New Jersey, United States of America
3 Department of Internal Medicine, Englewood Health/Hackensack University, Englewood, New Jersey, United States of America
4 Department of Internal Medicine, King Hussein Medical City, Amman, Jordan
5 Department of Internal Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
6 Department of Internal Medicine, Advent Health, Orlando, Florida, United States of America
7 Department of Internal Medicine, Service Institute of Medical Sciences, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
8 Department of Cardiology, St. Francis Medical Center, Monroe, Louisiana, United States of America
Brain & Heart, 025090012 https://doi.org/10.36922/BH025090012
Received: 28 February 2025 | Revised: 31 May 2025 | Accepted: 11 June 2025 | Published online: 4 July 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
Abstract

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), also known as the “broken heart syndrome” or “stress cardiomyopathy,” is characterized by transient left ventricular systolic dysfunction, usually in the absence of significant obstructive coronary artery disease. The pathophysiology of TTS remains incompletely understood, though commonly proposed mechanisms include catecholamine surge, estrogen deficiency, and coronary circulation dysfunction. TTS was initially regarded as benign and reversible; however, studies indicate that it may have severe short- and long-term complications. There are several prognostic factors associated with TTS that may influence patient outcomes. In this review, we aim to explore these prognostic factors in relation to various clinical variables, including age, gender, trigger type, atrial arrhythmias, rate-corrected QT interval, baseline left ventricular systolic function, and comorbidities. While many factors are thought to influence TTS, current research findings remain inconsistent. To improve prognosis, there is an urgent need to develop better risk-assessment tools. This can be achieved through large-scale, multicenter studies and analysis of existing research. By understanding these prognostic factors, better prevention and intervention strategies can be developed for TTS, reinforcing its recognition as a serious cardiovascular condition.

Keywords
Takotsubo syndrome
Stress cardiomyopathy
Broken heart syndrome
Prognosis
Pathophysiology
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interest.
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Brain & Heart, Electronic ISSN: 2972-4139 Published by AccScience Publishing