How understanding a form of broken heart syndrome could save lives

Greater awareness and understanding of Takotsubo Syndrome, a lesser-known broken heart syndrome, may be key to protection against sudden cardiac death. Sian Harding

To Sian Harding

Can you really die from a broken heart? This question is often brought up in the press when someone dies suddenly after a bereavement, for example when Debbie Reynolds died the day after her daughter Carrie Fisher. The answer is yes. There is strong evidence that extreme or sudden emotional stress can have direct and detrimental effects on the heart.

Cardiac arrest is caused by a severe disturbance to the heart’s rhythm. It can be caused by very stressful situations such as bereavement which has led to the term Broken Heart Syndrome. Arguments or dramatic events…