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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffBroken heart syndrome is a temporary heart condition brought on by stressful situations, such as the death of a loved one. People with broken heart syndrome may have sudden chest pain or think they're having a heart attack. These broken heart syndrome symptoms may be brought on by the heart's reaction to a surge of stress hormones. In broken heart syndrome, a part of your heart temporarily enlarges and doesn't pump well, while the remainder of the heart functions normally or with even more forceful contractions.
The condition was originally called takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Today, it's also referred to as stress cardiomyopathy, stress-induced cardiomyopathy or apical ballooning syndrome.
The symptoms of broken heart syndrome are treatable, and the condition usually reverses itself in about a week.
- Nef HM, et al. Mechanisms of stress (Takotsubo) cardiomyopathy. Nature Reviews. 2010;7:187.
- Wynne J, et al. Cardiomyopathy and myocarditis. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2902533. Accessed Dec. 8, 2010.
- Brenner ZR, et al. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Heart and Lung. 2008;37:1.
- Derrick D. The "broken heart syndrome": Understanding Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Critical Care Nurse. 2009;29:49.
- Grogan M (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 14, 2010.
- Martin EA, et al. Endothelial function and vascular response to mental stress are impaired in patients with apical ballooning syndrome. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2010;56:1840.
- Rosenow E (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 11, 2010.
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