Yes, and not all of the morbidity is cardiovascular.

Takotsubo syndrome (TS), also known as stress cardiomyopathy, is a transient left ventricular dysfunction typically triggered by intense emotional or physical stress. For most patients, left ventricular function fully recovers within days to weeks. However, long-term survival after an episode of TS was reduced in several registry studies. To better understand long-term outcomes of TS, researchers assessed rehospitalisations of all patients in Scotland diagnosed with TS from 2010 through 2017 and followed until death or through May 2021, compared with two populations: (1) age-, sex- and geographic location-matched normal controls and (2) patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Hospital admission rates were similar between TS and AMI patients, at 743 versus 750 per 1000 person-years, respectively. Admission rates were much lower for normal controls, at 365 per 1000 person-years. Compared with normal controls, patients with TS were twice as likely to be hospitalised for any cause (hazard ratio [HR], 1.96) and especially for cardiovascular causes (e.g. myocardial infarction HR, 3.11), as well as for mental health, pulmonary, neurological and infectious conditions. Compared with patients with AMI, those with TS had fewer admissions for myocardial infarction, heart failure and arrhythmia but similar admission rates for stroke and mental health.

Comment: We sometimes forget that Takotsubo syndrome really is a lifelong worrisome diagnosis. These data remind us of that fact – and highlight the need for ensuring close surveillance of patients after a TS event, even if they have complete recovery of cardiac function.

Karol E. Watson, MD, PhD, FACC, John C. Mazziotta, MD, PhD, Term Endowed Chair and Professor of Medicine/Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, USA.

Rudd AE, et al. Morbidity after takotsubo syndrome: a report from the Scottish Takotsubo Registry. Ann Intern Med 2025 Mar 25; e-pub (https://doi.org/10.7326/ANNALS-24-01770).

This summary is taken from the following Journal Watch title: Cardiology.