Takotsubo syndrome has been traditionally considered a reversible form of acute heart failure triggered by an emotional or physical stressor, mainly occurring in women of post-menopausal age and often mimicking an acute coronary syndrome. While its pathophysiology is still incompletely understood, sympathetic overstimulation is known to play a central role in the disease. The classical hallmark of the condition was the presence of wall motion abnormalities limited to the apical segments of the ventricle, leading to the so-called apical ballooning, but different patterns of wall motion abnormalities are nowadays recognised. Different definitions and diagnostic criteria for takotsubo syndrome were proposed during the last decades, reflecting the heterogeneity of the condition and the gaps in the thorough understanding of the disease. While initially it was believed to be a benign entity, takotsubo syndrome has in fact similar morbidity and mortality with acute coronary syndromes, both on short- and long-term, highlighting the importance of proper risk stratification. Many questions still remain unanswered concerning the pathophysiology of the syndrome and the optimal therapeutic strategy for these patients.