Gender-related differences in takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) predominantly occurs in elderly women. Men comprise 10% of the patients, with a similar clinical profile. In contrast to myocardial infarction, age distribution; symptoms, such as angina; and prehospital delay in TTC are not different between genders. In men, physical stress as a triggering event and shock or cardiac arrest on presentation are more frequent. Gender-related differences in TTC need to be carefully investigated at the clinical and experimental levels to explain the evident gender discrepancy in the prevalence of TTC, to clarify the pathogenetic background, and to develop preventive and therapeutic means against this life-threatening disease.