Broken heart syndrome affects many people

Broken heart syndrome is a condition in which extreme stress can lead to heart muscle failure. The failure is severe, but often short-term.
This condition, also known as stress cardiomyopathy, usually affects postmenopausal women and is typically triggered by a profoundly stressful event, such as a break-up, domestic abuse or the unexpected death of a loved one. In this study, however, researchers found this condition may also develop in younger people, men and even those who cannot identify a precipitating stressful event.

Researchers analysed 256 stress cardiomyopathy patients in seven tertiary care centers in both Europe and North America over the course …read more