Broken heart syndrome is actually on the rise and is a potentially fatal condition. More than 90% of cases of this condition, also known as Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) or stress cardiomyopathy, occur in women between the ages of 58 and 75. It is estimated that up to 5% of women who have a suspected heart attack actually have broken heart syndrome.One
Symptoms reflect a heart attack. People suffering from broken heart syndrome have symptoms similar to a sudden heart attack, including chest pain and difficulty breathing. This condition may last for several days or weeks, and standard medications used to treat heart failure are often prescribed.2
Although it is a relatively rare condition, it is estimated that up to 2% of people who visit their healthcare provider with a suspected heart attack actually have TTS.three Most people recover completely, but complications can occur and can be serious. Severe arterial blockages and blood clots can compound the problem, leading to irreversible heart failure, congestive heart failure, and even death.4 Heart function typically recovers within a month, but a 2011 study found that the mortality rate is as high as 8%.5
Although it is impossible to avoid all negative events and stress, there are steps you can take to become more resilient, both emotionally and physically, to minimize your risk of broken heart syndrome.
Broken Heart Syndrome vs. Widow Effect
TTS is often compared to the widowhood effect, which describes the increased mortality immediately following the death of a spouse. Studies have shown that excess mortality rates range from 30 to 90 percent in the first three months after the death of a spouse.6 The key difference is that the cause of TTS has been narrowed to the brain-heart connection, whereas the widowhood effect is not limited to just one aspect of human biology.7
Statistical analysis showed that the death of a wife increased a man's all-cause mortality by 18%. The death of a husband increased women's mortality by 16%. In notable parallel with TTS, a 7% to 10% increase in heart, vascular disease, and heart failure deaths affected the women included in this study.
Previous seizures and strokes have also been associated with an increased incidence of broken heart syndrome.8 Chronic stress and depression are also associated with a significantly increased risk of developing broken heart syndrome.9
Women are most at risk
Women over 50 are at the highest risk for broken heart syndrome. Overall, 85-95% of TTS patients are women aged 65-70 years. One study found that among 1,750 patients with TTS, the average age was 67 years and 89.8% were women.10
TTS cases have been increasing over the past two decades, with a particularly notable increase among women aged 50 to 74 years. Some of this increase may be due to an overall increase in the size of this demographic, but there may also be socioeconomic and environmental stressors. play a role11
Data on the increase in broken heart syndrome cases rely heavily on proper coding by hospitals. This is not provided when TTS presents very similar to a heart attack, including the focus being on the left ventricle. Despite the high likelihood of misdiagnosis, there is sufficient data to detect a sharp increase in cases.12
Severe Stress Promotes Broken Heart Syndrome
Events known to cause broken heart syndrome include:13 If you experience chest pain after a stressful event, seek immediate medical attention.
car or other accident | asthma attack |
Serious illness, surgery or medical procedure | Death, serious illness or injury of a loved one, including a pet |
domestic violence | financial loss |
intense fear | public speaking |
sudden surprise | unemployment |
In general, stress increases the risk of heart disease. The body's stress response is supposed to protect you, but ongoing stress takes a serious toll on your health. The hormone cortisol is released in response to stress, and chronically elevated cortisol levels promote high blood pressure and inflammation, which leads to heart disease.
Cortisol is also catabolic, meaning it breaks down muscle tissue, and antimetabolic, lowering metabolism. Promotes fat storage around internal organs and inhibits collagen formation.
How to Protect Yourself from Broken Heart Syndrome
Trying to avoid all stressful life events is neither possible nor realistic. Instead, the best approach is to develop strategies to manage stress and break out of the stress cycle. This can help minimize the release and effects of stress hormones.14 And improve your resilience. Here are some suggestions:
Minimize your exposure to horror narratives — With endless access to screen time and content, it’s easy to “doom scroll” amidst a constant barrage of upsetting and depressing news, constantly seeking out and focusing on stressful events that are beyond our control with a swipe or click. The average adult spends more time staring at screens than sleeping. Not only will putting down your screens help you break this vicious cycle of stress, it's also an important step toward getting more sleep.15 The stories we create in our heads can be just as powerful as the false stories the media creates. Changing your narrative is a powerful way to increase resilience and end the cycle of rumination. Rumination describes the process of replaying a bad event in your mind over and over again.16 |
Emotional Release Techniques (EFT) – EFT, also called tapping, is one of my favorite tools for reducing stress and increasing creative problem solving. Using the same meridians as acupuncture, EFT stimulates these pathways by tapping while uttering positive affirmations. EFT offers a variety of benefits, both physical and mental. |
Expressive Writing — Another powerful tool is expressive writing. This exercise involves free-writing about a problem for 20 minutes and exploring your thoughts and feelings about it. A 1988 study found that expressive writing provides a sense of control that reduces stress. Participants who wrote four times a week were healthier after six weeks and happier than those who wrote about superficial topics after three months.17 |
meditation – While avoiding stressful situations may be the first line of defense against broken heart syndrome, meditation has been proven to be helpful for some TTS sufferers.18 Relaxing activities like journaling, yoga, or taking a bath have also been shown to reduce the stress cycle and protect the heart.19 |
Spend more time outdoors — There is strong evidence that outdoor walks, outdoor exercise, nature walks, and observing nature contribute to improvements in heart rate and blood pressure. Spending 120 minutes a week outdoors can improve your health and well-being by reducing stress.20 Depression and anxiety are linked to broken heart syndrome. Simple walks in green and natural spaces can reduce anxiety and improve your mood.21 |
Gardening — Gardening, a form of exercise and a popular hobby, can help reduce stress and improve sleep.22 Research conducted during the first wave of COVID-19 lockdowns has shown that gardening helps promote a connection with nature, relieves stress, provides a way to exercise and provides healthy nutrients. It happened.23 |
Slow breathing through the nose — If you want to improve your oxygenation and relieve stress, breathing through your nose is a practice you need to learn. A study measuring the effectiveness of slow nostril breathing found that 12 weeks of slow breathing exercises reduced perceived stress and improved cardiovascular parameters.24 |
Protect your mind with better sleep — Chronic sleep deprivation increases levels of stress hormones such as cortisol and affects appetite-regulating hormones such as leptin and ghrelin.25 Cortisol causes cardiovascular disease.26 |
Magnesium and B6 — The combination of magnesium and B6 may have a complementary effect in reducing stress. This is especially true when compared to adults with lower magnesium levels.27 Magnesium is also effective in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases.28 In industrialized Western countries, lack of magnesium in the diet increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and death.29 |
Building resilience is your best protection against broken heart syndrome
Pursuing a lifestyle that strengthens and protects your heart health can help protect you from the worst effects of TTS. Broken heart syndrome can improve very quickly if treated in time and diagnosed accurately by a doctor who is familiar with the syndrome. The good news is that recurrences are very rare, and as long as the heart muscle remains intact, most people who suffer from broken heart syndrome go on to lead healthy lives.30
A healthy heart is better able to withstand the rapid weakening of the heart muscle that occurs in broken heart syndrome. You can help protect your heart from stress damage by using tools to reduce stress and keep it from overwhelming you. Using these tools can help you become more emotionally resilient when faced with serious challenges and reduce the likelihood of suffering broken heart syndrome.31
