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For thousands of years people talk, sing, and write about broken hearts. We usually do not take this expression too seriously, but according to scientists a heart can really break from grief and sorrow. People who have broken heart syndrome will experience symptoms that are quite similar to those of a heart attack, with sudden chest pain, low blood pressure and shortness of breath. And typically these symptoms appear minutes after an intense emotional event, like news of an unexpected death of a loved one, a medical diagnosis, or loss of a lot of money.

Broken heart syndrome differs from a heart attack in the fact that arteries are not severely blocked, and most importantly that heart tissue is not damaged. Instead the heart muscle reacts to a sudden flood of adrenaline. What exactly the reaction is to the massive amount of adrenaline is not sure. It may cause narrowing of the arteries, or perhaps cause large amounts of calcium to enter cells and make them temporarily dysfunctional. Scientists do know that a part of the heart enlarges temporarily and this makes it weaker, which results in abnormal blood flow.

Luckily, the weakening of the heart is just temporary and usually just takes a few days to a week to recover. Also, because the broken heart syndrome does not cause any permanent damage, there are usually no long-lasting effects on a person.

Interesting fact is that broken heart syndrome occurs mostly in women (90% of the cases) and most frequently in middle aged or elderly women.

Broken heart syndrome and a heart attack have similar symptoms, so it is important to take any chest pain seriously. If you’re having any chest pain or shortness of breath after a stressful event, seek emergency medical assistance immediately.

Tags: Health, Romance and Relationships