Broken Heart Syndrome : Is It Real?

Q. A friend of mine was rushed to the hospital with chest pain and shortness of breath. She thought she was having a heart attack but was diagnosed with “broken heart syndrome.” Is this for real?

A. Broken heart syndrome is certainly real. Its symptoms resemble those of a heart attack, and the event may be mistaken for that until tests show that there are no blockages impeding the flow of blood to the heart. Also called “stress cardiomyopathy,” the syndrome is triggered by stress, usually major psychological stress such as the death of a loved one, job loss, divorce, a frightening medical diagnosis, loss of a lot of money, even the shock of a surprise party. Symptoms usually begin within minutes to hours after the stress occurs. Most of those affected are middle-aged women (average age 60).

Broken heart syndrome can also occur as a result of physical stress such as an automobile accident, an asthma attack or major surgery. In rare cases, certain drugs may be the triggers. These include epinephrine in an auto-injector used to treat severe allergic reactions and severe asthma attacks; duloxetine (Cymbalta), a drug used to treat depression and nerve problems in people with diabetes; venlafaxine (Effexor XR), a treatment for depression; and levothyroxine (Synthroid, Levoxyl) used to treat low thyroid activity.

The good news about broken heart syndrome is that it is completely reversible and usually resolves quickly with no aftereffects. However, in order to diagnose this condition, doctors have to make sure you haven’t had a heart attack. That requires a thorough medical history and physical exam, as well as an electrocardiogram, chest x-ray, an echocardiogram to see if your heart is enlarged or has an abnormal shape, and several blood tests.

Once broken heart syndrome is diagnosed, you’ll probably be admitted to the hospital until you recover. You may be put on certain heart medications temporarily to lessen your heart’s workload. These include angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, beta-blockers or diuretics.

It’s rare for people who have suffered broken heart syndrome to have a second episode later in life in response to another stressor. According to researchers at Johns Hopkins who have been following patients with the syndrome for as long as five years after diagnosis, none has experienced it a second time even though several have gone through subsequent stressful events.

Source:

“Acute Stress Cardiomyopathy,” Johns Hopkins Initiative for Stress Cardiomyopathy, accessed February 11, 2015
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/asc/index.html

Dr. Andrew Weil is the founder and Chairman of the Weil Foundation, and the Chairman of Weil Lifestyle. He is also a founder and co-owner of the growing group of True Food Kitchen restaurants. Dr. Weil writes a monthly column for Prevention magazine. A frequent lecturer and guest on talk shows, Dr. Weil is an internationally recognized expert on medicinal plants, alternative medicine, and the reform of medical education. He lives in Tucson, Arizona, USA.