Can You Actually Die of a Broken Heart?

“Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling in at night.  I miss you like hell.”  ~Edna St. Vincent Millay

Heartbreak has been a popular topic for writers and poets for centuries, but it’s recently become a popular topic in the scientific community as well. Researchers from St. George’s University of London found that a broken heart can cause just as much damage to a person’s physical health as to their emotional state.

The Research

Researchers wanted to assess how grief affects physical stress on the body. They analyzed 30,447 individuals over the age of 60 whose partners had died, and 83,588 controls over the age of 60 whose partners were still alive.

The study showed that individuals who were experiencing a loss had a greater chance of cardiovascular problems. Their chance of experiencing a stroke or heart attack was double within 30 days after their partner died compared to the control group (16 per 10,000 versus eight per 10,000).

In addition, they noted that grief can also make people lose interest in or forget to take their medication, which can compound the physical stress on the body.

Previous studies have shown grief can lead to changes in blood clotting, blood pressure, and heart rate. However, the risk of a heart attack or stroke appears to lessen after 30 days of losing a loved one.

Broken Heart Syndrome

In addition to a heart attack or stroke, the American Heart Association also describes a condition brought on by the loss of a loved one called “broken heart syndrome”.

Broken heart syndrome refers to a sudden, intense chest pain caused by an emotionally stressful event. It causes changes in rhythm and blood substances similar to a heart attack, but has no evidence of blocked arteries as a heart attack typically would.

In broken heart syndrome, the symptoms are a result of part of the heart enlarging and not pumping well, while the rest of the heart functions normally. This can occur even in perfectly healthy individuals.

The AHA lists the common differences between broken heart syndrome and a heart attack:

• EKG results differ between the two.
• Blood tests show no signs of heart damage.
• Tests show no signs of blockages in the coronary arteries.
• Tests show ballooning and unusual movement of the lower left heart chamber (left ventricle).
• Recovery time is quick, usually within days or weeks (compared with the recovery time of a month or more for a heart attack).

Do you feel grief or depression is a common factor in cardiovascular issues? How would you help combat potential health issues if a relative or friend loses a loved one? We’d love to see some discussion in our comments section and also inside Sermo.  Please join us here or inside if you’re an M.D. or D.O.