Broken heart syndrome: Healing the physical and emotional toll of heartbreak

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Having a broken heart can mean more than an emotional wound.

Broken heart syndrome is a condition where some of your heart muscle weakens rapidly and typically happens after experiencing a sudden stressful event.

Most people who have broken heart syndrome are older than 50, and the condition is more common in women than in men.

However, men might be in more danger.

“It is a pattern that we see where the base of the heart sort of squeezes, it’s hyper-dynamic, but the rest of the heart looks like a balloon,” said Dr. Rajesh Shah, an interventional cardiologist.

While women are more likely to get this, a new study by the American Heart Association shows men are more likely to die from it. The study found that 11% of men died compared to 5% of women.

The causes of this condition involve emotionally stressful situations, like loss of a loved one or a traumatic event. It can also involve something physically stressful, like having a car accident or major surgery.

One factor that can play a crucial role is having a support system. Experts say men struggle more with recovery due to less social support for managing stress.

“Social isolation and loneliness on our health is as powerful as things like smoking, high blood pressure, obesity,” said Dr. Richard S. Schwartz, a psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School.

The best advice? Interventional cardiologist Dr. Prakash Balan says be mindful and pay attention to your symptoms.

“If you’re having symptoms, get them checked out,” he said.

Symptoms include low blood pressure and irregular heartbeats.

Doctors say people often mistake broken heart syndrome with a heart attack because it can mimic a heart attack with symptoms like chest pain and shortness of breath.

If you experience those symptoms, it’s crucial to seek immediate medical care and go to a hospital.

The difference between the two is that a heart attack is generally caused by a complete, or near-complete, blockage of a heart artery. In broken heart syndrome, the heart arteries are not blocked, but blood flow in the heart’s arteries is reduced.

Doctors might prescribe treatments, but stress management and getting social support are also a part of the healing process.