Broken heart syndrome, or stress cardiomyopathy, mimics a heart attack and is caused by extreme stress. It is reversible and does not cause permanent damage, but can be mistaken for a heart attack. Diagnosis involves tests to confirm the absence of blockages or muscle damage, and a patient background confirming a traumatic event. Treatment includes medication to reduce stress symptoms and reduce the risk of recurring episodes. The cause and risk factors for broken heart syndrome are largely unknown, but research is ongoing.
Broken heart syndrome is a condition that mimics a massive heart attack and results from extreme stress. The death of a loved one or other traumatic event typically triggers the events that lead to broken heart syndrome. It is generally caused by a sustained spike in adrenaline, the hormone the human body releases during times of extreme stress of perceived danger. This can eventually “stun” the heart, causing symptoms and bodily reactions similar to those experienced during an actual heart attack. The main difference between this condition and cardiac arrest is that the symptoms of broken heart syndrome are completely reversible and cause no permanent damage.
In many cases, broken heart syndrome, which goes by the clinical name of stress cardiomyopathy, is easily mistaken for a heart attack by doctors and other health care professionals. Symptoms are usually similar or identical and can include shortness of breath, chest pain, fluid in the lungs, and heart failure. There are many distinct differences, however, which may only become apparent upon closer examination of the patient. Before this happens, stress cardiomyopathy can be treated like a heart attack to bring the heart back to normal rhythms and stabilize the patient.
Tests that can confirm a diagnosis of broken heart syndrome include an inspection of the heart muscle and surrounding tissue and arteries. Unlike heart attack victims, those with stress cardiomyopathy are typically healthy with no blockages in the arteries or veins and no obvious disfigurement of the heart muscle itself. Other tests include taking blood samples to check for a lack of enzymes typically released during a heart attack and MRI scans that reveal that no muscle damage has occurred as would happen with a heart attack. This, combined with a patient background confirming the presence of a traumatic event, can lead to a definitive diagnosis.
Fortunately, those who have suffered from broken heart syndrome are almost always able to make a full recovery without long-term damage to the heart. Medications may be given to reduce symptoms of stress, and treatment is often offered. This can reduce the patient’s production and response to stress hormones, thereby reducing the risk of recurring episodes.
Stress cardiomyopathy does not cause the same contraction patterns as a heart attack and should not be confused with a stress-induced heart attack. The effects of stress on the heart and which patients are most at risk for broken heart syndrome remain largely unknown, although older and middle-aged women appear to be the most common victims. Research is underway to find out if there is a genetic predisposition to cardiomyopathy, which is one explanation as to why some people are afflicted with it and others are not.
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