What is broken heart syndrome?

Suffering from a broken heart is not just a metaphor for dealing with a difficult emotional time. Symptoms that people feel when they are "broken hearted" are actually physical.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is the technical term for "broken heart syndrome," the condition in which intense emotional or physical stress can cause rapid and severe heart muscle weakness. This can happen after a variety of emotional reactions, such as grief over the death of a loved one or a break up of a long-term relationship. Additionally, it can be felt during times of fear, extreme anger and surprise.

Sudden emotional stress can cause the heart muscle to mimic a heart attack. Patients may have chest pain, shortness of breath, congestive heart failure or low blood pressure. These symptoms can typically begin within minutes or hours after the person has been exposed to the unexpected stress.

People are often misdiagnosed with a massive heart attack when what they have really suffered from is a days-long surge in adrenalin and other stress hormones that temporarily shock the heart.

Because the syndrome involves severe heart muscle weakness, takotsubo cardiomyopathy can be life threatening. However, even the most critically ill patients tend to make a complete recovery.

While takotsubo cardiomyopathy can affect anyone, it primarily affects middle-age to elderly women. Consult your doctor or medical care provider immediately if you are experiencing abnormal feeling in your chest and heart.

Resources

• American Heart Association: www.americanheart.org
• National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov