Regenerative Medicine: Potential Mechanisms of Cardiac Recovery in Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is an increasingly reported cause of acute chest pain and acute heart failure, and is often associated with significant hemodynamic compromise. The illness is remarkable for the reversibility in systolic dysfunction seen in the disease course. While the pathophysiology of takotsubo syndrome is not completely elucidated, research suggests the presence of a cytoprotective process that allows the myocardium to recover following the inciting insult. Here, we summarize molecular and histologic studies exploring the response to injury in takotsubo disease and provide some discussion on how they may contribute to further investigations in cardiac recovery and regeneration.