Personality Traits that Make Vulnerable to Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy

Takotsubo syndrome is a reversible cardiomyopathy characterized by transient systolic ventricular dysfunction with a clinical presentation indistinguishable from acute myocardial infarction but in the absence of significant coronary artery obstruction. The pathophysiology remains poorly understood and seems to be multifactorial. The influence of psychological factors in stress cardiomyopathy syndrome is poorly studied. Depression, anxiety, personality traits and emotional stressors are associated with takotsubo syndrome. Percentages of psychological factors vary, but, in general were higher in takotsubo syndrome than in acute coronary syndrome. Autonomic dysbalance, hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and cortical-subcortical circuit’s dysfunctions are described in psychopathological conditions associated with takotsubo syndrome. The aim of this Chapter is to present the current knowledge on personality traits factors in takotsubo syndrome.