Broken Heart Syndrome

Esther Knights (History)

Can Heartbreak be Lethal?

Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, or 'broken heart syndrome', is a condition where the heart suddenly changes shape and is weakened. The syndrome鈥檚 association with a broken heart is because it often appears to be triggered by emotionally or physically stressful events, with women who have heard distressing news being particularly vulnerable. Its name, 'Takotsubo', originated because when the syndrome was first observed in Japan in 1990, the left ventricle (as shown in picture A) resembled the shape of Japanese Octopus pots, which are called 鈥榯akotsubos鈥� (as shown in picture B). Whilst there is a long history of the heart being seen as vulnerable, the details of this syndrome are still emerging. This Cabinet, placed in the Postgraduate Private 果冻传媒 area, shows an ongoing development in the history of heartbreak in modernity.

Further Reading

Books

Chiles, Christopher D, Patel, Rikin; Baggett, Charles, Netter鈥檚 Cardiology, (Philadelphia: Elsevier, 1 January 2019), pp. 235-238.

Kaddoura, Sam, Echo Made Easy (Elsevier, 2025), pp. 62-119.

Shen, Jasmine, Crash Course Cardiology (Elsevier, Jan 2025), pp. 203-12.

Stamp, Nikki, Can You Die of a Broken Heart? (London, Sydney: Murdoch Books, 2018), pp. 18-39.

Chapters

Mitsuma W et al, 鈥楾akotsubo Cardiomyopathy鈥� in Charles, Fred H.D., MD, MPH; Afari, Maxwell Eyram, MD, Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2026 (Philadelphia: Elsevier Inc, 2026).

Articles

Templin, Christian, Ghadri, Diekmann, Jelena R., Johanna, et al. 鈥淐linical Features and Outcomes of Takotsubo (Stress) Cardiomyopathy鈥�, New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 373, No. 10 (2015), pp. 929鈥�38.

Assad J, Femia G, Pender P, Badie T, Rajaratnam R, "Takotsubo Syndrome: A Review of Presentation, Diagnosis and Management", Clinical Med Insights: Cardiology (January 2022).

Ravindran, Jayant and Brieger, David, 鈥淐linical perspectives: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy鈥�, Internal Medicine Journal, Vol. 54, Issue. 11 (September 2024), pp. 1785-1795.

Crea Filippo, Iannaccone Giulia, La Vecchiahia Giulia and Montone Rocco A, 鈥淎n update on the mechanisms of Takotsubo syndrome: 'At the end an acute coronary syndrome鈥欌€�, Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, Vol. 191 (June 2024), pp. 1-6

Sealove, Brett, Tiyyagura, Satish and Fuster, Valentin, 鈥淭akotsubo Cardiomyopathy鈥�, Journal of General Internal Medicine, Vol. 23 (2009), pp. 1904-1908

Amin, Hilman, Amin, Lukman and Pradipta, Ariel, 鈥淭akotsubo Cardiomyopathy: A Brief Review鈥�, Journal of Medicine and Life (2020)

Online Resources

British Heart Foundation, Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy (1 July 2024)

<> [accessed 1 January 2026]

Harvard Health Publishing, Broken-heart syndrome (takotsubo cardiomyopathy) (13 June 2023) <> [accessed 2 January 2026]

Cardiomyopathyuk, Takotsubo Syndrome Online (February 2024) <> [accessed 3 January 2026]

Cossens Marianne, 鈥楾akotsubo cardiomyopathy鈥�, 22 Dec 2018<https://radiopaedia.org/cases/takotsubo-cardiomyopathy-4?lang=gb> [accessed 25 Feb 2026]

Saeed Bilal, M.D., University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, Ohio (A); and Satoshi Kurisu, M.D., Hiroshima City Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan (B), from Harvard Health Publishing, 'Broken-heart syndrome (takotsubo cardiomyopathy)' (13 June 2023) <> [accessed 2 January 2026]

St Vincent鈥檚 Hospital Heart Health, 鈥楾akutsubo cardiomyopathy鈥�, St Vincent鈥檚 Hospital Heart Health, <> [accessed 25 February 2026]