It’s no uncommon in Civil War literature to see someone’s death ascribed to broken heart after losing or breaking up with a loved one, homesickness, or “melancholia.” There might have been more to it than we might think now.
It’s not a heart attack, but so-called “broken heart syndrome” still puts patients at high risk for hospital readmission and in-hospital death, a new study suggests.
Broken heart syndrome — also called Takotsubo syndrome — causes symptoms similar to a heart attack, including chest pain and difficulty breathing.
But while a heart attack is caused by severely blocked arteries, broken heart syndrome is typically brought on by stressful events and involves sudden weakening of the heart muscle.
Although the syndrome is thought to be temporary, the study found subsequent heart problems were not uncommon.
Leave a Reply