Takotsubo cardiomyopathy was first reported in Japan in 1990. Recently, an increasing number of case reports and reviews of takotsubo cardiomyopathy has been published worldwide, including atypical cases with inverted takotsubo cardiomyopathy or incidental coronary artery disease. To date, there has been no guideline for worldwide consensus on takotsubo cardiomyopathy diagnostic criteria and treatment. Although the exact mechanism of takotsubo cardiomyopathy remains to be elucidated, it has been suggested that catecholamine cardiotoxicity plays a crucial role. Here, we summarize the current case reports and reviews in regard to diagnosis, cardiac biomarkers, electrocardiogram, cardiac imaging, mechanism, treatment and prognosis in order to establish a deeper understanding of this syndrome.