By Dr. Manish Kumar Jatav, MBBS
Yes, a “broken heart” is not just an emotional feeling — it can actually affect your health and become a serious medical condition. This condition is called Broken Heart Syndrome, also known as:
Stress Cardiomyopathy
Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy
Ballooning Syndrome
“Takotsubo” is a Japanese word meaning an octopus trap, which the heart starts to look like due to its abnormal shape in this condition.
What Happens in the Body?
When someone goes through sudden emotional stress — like the death of a loved one, a breakup, or any shocking event — the body releases a large amount of stress hormones like adrenaline.
This sudden release of stress chemicals can weaken the heart muscle, and the heart can temporarily stop working properly.
Because of this:
The heart can’t pump blood properly.
The symptoms look like a heart attack (chest pain, difficulty breathing), but the heart’s arteries are not blocked, which is different from a real heart attack.
The flood of stress hormones can cause coronary artery spasms and stunning of the heart muscle — effects that mimic a heart attack on ECG and blood tests.
Causes of Broken Heart Syndrome
Sudden release of stress hormones (like adrenaline)
Very high levels of catecholamines (stress chemicals)
Rise in cardiac enzymes, which shows heart stress or damage
Who Faces the Greatest Danger?
Most common in postmenopausal women
Often triggered by grief, severe anxiety, or shock
Can also occur after physical stress (e.g., accidents, surgery)¹
Symptoms:
A sudden, intense pain or pressure in the chest that feels like a heart attack — often triggered by emotional or physical stress. It may radiate to the neck, arm, or back and mimic the signs of a true myocardial infarction.
A feeling of breathlessness or difficulty breathing, even while at rest. This often occurs alongside chest discomfort and may worsen with minimal activity or stress.
Tests:
ECG may show ST elevation (like in a heart attack).
Blood test shows raised troponin-I (a heart damage marker).
2D Echo shows ballooning of the heart’s left side.
Key Difference:In a heart attack, arteries are blocked (seen in angiography).But in Broken Heart Syndrome, the arteries are clear, with no blockages.
Yes, it can be life-threatening, especially in older people.
But the good news is that it is usually reversible — most people recover completely with proper care.
Full recovery typically occurs in weeks with no long-term heart damage
In rare cases, complications include arrhythmias, heart failure, or recurrence
Recurrence risk: around 2–10% within 5 years ²
1. Stress Management
Counselling – talk to a mental health expert
Yoga and Meditation – help calm the mind
Family and Social Support – very important
2. Medical Monitoring (in hospital)
Give oxygen to reduce heart strain
Medicines prescribed by the doctor, like:
Beta-blockers – reduce effects of stress hormones
ACE inhibitors – help the heart pump better
Diuretics – reduce water build-up (swelling)
Practice regular stress management (daily mindfulness, deep breathing)
Stay physically active
Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol
Build strong social connections to cope with grief and emotional shocks
A broken heart can truly hurt not just emotionally but physically too. If someone feels chest pain or breathlessness after emotional stress, they must get medical help. With timely care and stress control, recovery is possible.
American Heart Association. "Broken Heart Syndrome." Heart.org. Accessed July 5, 2025. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/broken-heart-syndrome.
Templin, Christian, et al. “Clinical Features and Outcomes of Takotsubo (Stress) Cardiomyopathy.” New England Journal of Medicine 373, no. 10 (2015): 929–938. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1406761.
Ramaraj R. (2007). Stress cardiomyopathy: aetiology and management. Postgraduate medical journal, 83(982), 543–546. https://doi.org/10.1136/pgmj.2007.058776
MSM/SE