Dying from a broken heart may sound dramatic—but it’s very much a real thing. If you’ve ever experienced a heartbreak so great that it causes your heart excruciating physical pain, you may actually be experiencing what doctors call broken-heart syndrome.
The condition has been studied for years with no real conclusive findings about what can be done to treat it. But now new research findings may get us one step closer to finding a cure.
What is broken-heart syndrome?
Broken-heart syndrome, which is more formally known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, occurs when the heart muscle weakens temporarily and causes similar serious health concerns to those of a heart attack. The term was first coined in Japan, where doctors found that part of the heart that balloons is similar in shape to an octopus trap. Literally meaning “octopus-trap pot,” takotsubo cardiomyopathy typically occurs in the left ventricle (a.k.a. the top part) of the heart.
Because the symptoms of broken-heart syndrome look very similar to those of a heart attack and other signs of heart failure, it has to be diagnosed by a doctor. Icilma Fergus, MD, director of cardiovascular disparities for the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, explains that two tests, a blood test and a sonogram, are done to show if there is an abnormality in your blood that could indicate that the heart is damaged and an abnormality in how the heart looks. Broken-heart syndrome is typically reversible when treated correctly. So when looking at the heart with a sonogram, a doctor can determine if there is a typical blockage associated with a heart attack and whether the abnormality will return to normal.
What triggers it is still somewhat unknown, though experts like Dr. Fergus believe that a major stressful event—such as the death of a loved one, being fired from your job in times of economic distress, a monumental breakup, etc.—could potentially cause your heart to weaken physically.
Studies have found that broken-heart syndrome mostly affects older women in their 60s. But it is starting to occur in younger women as well, and the number of people who have been diagnosed with the condition has been increasing year to year since the early 2000s. While it’s not entirely clear why it mostly occurs in women and why more of them are dealing with broken-heart syndrome, Dr. Fergus says that it may have to do with one’s decreased estrogen levels or possibly being more susceptible to stress in general.
This also doesn’t mean that every stressful event may result in broken-heart syndrome. Dr. Fergus goes on to say that studies suggest that those who are dealing with this specific heart condition may also have a preexisting condition or underlying predisposition to heart issues. “[That stressful event] can make your cortisol stress levels go up,” she says. “It can affect the sympathetic nervous system, which causes these substances called catecholamines to skyrocket. [But] your heart can [also] malfunction because it [beats] too fast or it just doesn’t function well.”
What can exercise do for broken-heart syndrome?
According to The Guardian, a study featured at the European Society of Cardiology annual congress has shown progress in finding a real cure for broken-heart syndrome. The study was done with 76 patients diagnosed with takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Some were assigned cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) while others were assigned exercise activities such as aerobics, swimming, and cycling in addition to their standard care for their condition for 12 weeks. It was then found that they had more energy to accomplish physical activity and showed signs of improved health compared to the group that just received standard care. This led researchers to believe that exercise and CBT can reduce the more serious side effects of broken-heart syndrome, such as heart failure and even death.
“People may not be as surprised that an exercise program helped heart patients, but it is intriguing that this study also showed that cognitive behavioural therapy improved heart function and patients’ fitness,” Sonya Babu-Narayan, MD, clinical director at the British Heart Foundation (which funded the trial presented), told The Guardian. “More research is needed to find out whether these approaches improve survival or symptoms over the long term.” [Vogue reached out to the European Society of Cardiology for comment on the study, as well as a copy of it for reference. It did not get back in time for publication.]
Dr. Fergus says that, in general, those who experience heart failure, a heart attack, an irregular heartbeat, or a condition where their heart function is reduced will be prescribed cardiac rehab or exercise. Using that same logic, she says, it makes sense that these studies would draw the same conclusion for broken-heart syndrome. Exercise allows more oxygen to reach the heart, strengthening it, she says, and it can boost your mood.
From a mental health perspective, Thea Gallagher, PsyD, clinical associate professor of psychiatry at NYU Langone Health, agrees and explains that so much of the anxiety or distress we have is not held all in our heads; it’s in our bodies too. “The brain and the body are connected,” says Dr. Gallagher. “So doing something good for your body can also help when you’re having those physiological symptoms. If you’re really anxious [for example] and you’re drinking five cups of coffee in the morning, that’s not going to be kind to your body. But if you’re anxious and you’re like, Every morning I go for a walk for 20 minutes, we know that there are these measurable health benefits, and it mitigates against anxiety and depression.”
Exercise also provides you with a routine to help get you in a better headspace. “Creating a new routine, some new structure, and something predictable can really help our brains when we feel super overwhelmed or in just a really deep state of grief,” she says.
So as much as we’d love a quick fix to a broken heart as soon as yesterday, the best course of action for right now is just trying to stay as healthy as humanly possible. “You usually can’t predict who [would get broken-heart syndrome],” says Dr. Fergus. “However, you can protect yourself by remaining as healthy as possible by managing your lifestyle and the risk factors so that if an event happens, you’re less likely to have really catastrophic outcomes.”
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