Overview

• An analysis of nearly 200,000 U.S. cases of takotsubo cardiomyopathy from 2016 to 2020 found an overall in-hospital mortality rate of 6.5%, unchanged over the study period.
• Men with the condition experienced an 11.2% mortality rate, more than double the 5.5% rate seen in women, despite men being less frequently affected.
• Major complications included congestive heart failure (35.9%), atrial fibrillation (20.7%), cardiogenic shock (6.6%), stroke (5.3%), and cardiac arrest (3.4%).
• The condition is triggered by physical or emotional stress, leading to surges of stress hormones that impair heart function, with men more often affected by physical stressors and women by emotional ones.
• Researchers emphasize the urgent need for targeted therapies, as current treatments remain supportive and no specific interventions have been shown to reduce mortality or complications.