Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: natural history.

This article provides a comprehensive review of the clinical features of takotsubo (stress) cardiomyopathy. The author discusses key features that distinguish this cardiomyopathy from acute coronary syndrome. This review includes detail of characteristic findings on electrocardiogram, biochemical testing, and cardiac imaging, as well as complications including congestive heart failure, arrhythmia, ventricular thrombi, and left ventricular outflow obstruction. The review concludes with a discussion of the proper treatment, long-term survival, and proposed pathophysiology.