AT A GLANCE
- Broken heart syndrome, medically known as Takotsubo syndrome, is a real cardiac condition triggered by extreme emotional stress or grief.
- It occurs when a rush of stress hormones causes the heart’s left ventricle to weaken and change shape, sometimes fatally.
- It’s most commonly seen in older couples when one partner dies shortly after the other, with no other physical cause.
- Dr Karl confirmed the condition is real and can be partially triggered by the intense emotions of falling in love.
- The good news: most broken hearts do heal, with time and support.
We’ve all heard the phrase ‘died of a broken heart’ and assumed it was poetic licence. A beautiful, metaphorical way of describing grief. Not a medical reality. But Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, Australia’s most beloved science communicator, says the phenomenon is entirely real, clinically documented, and in some cases, fatal.
The condition is called Takotsubo syndrome. And its name, as Dr Karl delights in pointing out, literally means something to do with an octopus.
What is Takotsubo syndrome or broken heart syndrome?
Takotsubo syndrome is a form of acute, stress-induced cardiomyopathy, first described in Japan in the 1990s. The name comes from a Japanese pot used to trap octopuses, which the affected heart closely resembles on a scan, the left ventricle balloons outward in a distinctive shape.
“It’s described first in Japan,” Dr Karl told host Tiffany Dunk on The Australian Women’s Weekly’s Love Stories podcast. “And you’ll see it in real life when a couple have been together for a long while. One of them dies and another one dies almost immediately with nothing physical to bring it on.”
The mechanism is powerful: an extreme emotional shock like the death of a spouse, devastating news, or profound grief, floods the body with stress hormones. Those hormones interfere with the normal electrical and mechanical function of the heart, causing the left ventricle to suddenly weaken and change shape.
Who is most at risk of broken heart syndrome?
Takotsubo syndrome can affect anyone, but it is most commonly observed in older women, and most often in the context of profound loss. The longer and more deeply intertwined a partnership, the more each partner’s nervous system becomes calibrated to the presence of the other. When that presence is suddenly removed, the physiological response can be overwhelming.
“It’s due to the emotions setting off a whole bunch of hormones which then interfere with the normal beating of the heart,” Dr Karl explained. “The heart is not that sensible an organ. It can respond by going into heart failure and they die.”
Can Takotsubo syndrome happen from falling in love, not just grief?
Interestingly, Dr Karl noted the condition “can in fact be partially invoked in the things you have when you’re in love with somebody.” The extreme emotional intensity of early love like the racing heart, the heightened arousal, the mix of euphoria and anxiety, activates some of the same stress-response hormones involved in grief. In most cases this is harmless. But it points to just how physically powerful emotional states can be.
“One of them dies and another one dies almost immediately with nothing physical to bring it on. It is a real syndrome and it can, in fact, be fatal.”
Can you mend a broken heart?
Dr Karl’s own experience with heartbreak is characteristically vivid. After returning from three months in America as a young man, during which, he admits cheerfully, he had no shortage of admirers, his girlfriend delivered an unexpected blow. She broke up with him immediately after his return, having waited so as not to upset him while he was away.
“I found myself in this heartbreak mode where the only way I could get over it was just by running all the time,” he recalled. “It would take my mind off my broken heart.”
Running, as it turns out, is an excellent prescription. Exercise floods the body with endorphins, shifts blood flow away from the ruminative centres of the brain, and provides the rhythm and routine a grieving nervous system desperately craves.
But on the bigger question of whether a truly broken heart actually heal, Dr Karl’s answer is simple and certain.
“With time. Everything fixes with time. People have been through terrible things and you don’t know what they’ve been through — and you can, in many cases, if you’ve got a bit of help, come out of it.”
The neuroscience of heartbreak and recovery
Research supports Dr Karl’s optimism. The brain processes social rejection and emotional loss in the same regions it processes physical pain, heartbreak is not a metaphor, it is a neurological event. But neuroplasticity, the brain’s remarkable ability to rewire itself, means those acute pain pathways diminish over time as new connections and new patterns form.
The key ingredients for recovery, both science and Dr Karl agree, are time, physical movement, and a little help from the people around you.
Frequently asked questions:
Can you really die of a broken heart?
Yes. Takotsubo syndrome, also called broken heart syndrome or stress cardiomyopathy, is a medically recognised condition in which extreme emotional stress causes the heart’s left ventricle to weaken and change shape. In some cases, particularly in older adults, this can be fatal. It is most commonly seen when one partner in a long relationship dies shortly after the other, with no other physical cause of death.
What are the symptoms of broken heart syndrome?
Symptoms of Takotsubo syndrome can closely resemble those of a heart attack: chest pain, shortness of breath, and in severe cases, heart failure. If you or someone you know experiences these symptoms, seek emergency medical care immediately.
Who is most likely to get Takotsubo syndrome?
Takotsubo syndrome is most commonly seen in post-menopausal women, and most often triggered by sudden emotional stress or shock, such as the death of a partner, unexpected bad news, or intense grief. However, it can affect people of any age or gender.
How long does it take to recover from a broken heart?
Recovery time varies enormously between individuals and situations. Research into grief and heartbreak suggests the acute pain gradually diminishes as the brain forms new neural pathways. Physical activity, social support, and professional help where needed can all accelerate recovery. Dr Karl’s view: ‘Everything fixes with time.’
Is broken heart syndrome the same as a heart attack?
No. Takotsubo syndrome is distinct from a heart attack. A heart attack is caused by a blockage in the coronary arteries cutting off blood supply. Broken heart syndrome is caused by a surge of stress hormones that temporarily disrupt the heart’s normal function. The symptoms can look similar, which is why medical attention is essential.
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