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Losing a loved one can be one of the most traumatic experiences of a person's life. Grief brings on a whole host of strong emotions that impact both our mental and physical health. But is it possible for these powerful feelings to endanger your life? In other words, can you actually die from a broken heart? One of the most widely documented medical phenomena addressing this question is the widowhood effect. Studies of elderly couples have found that a person's risk of dying can increase by up to 90% over the three months following their spouse's death, leading a significant number of couples to pass away months, weeks, or even days apart.
There are a lot of theories explaining this effect. One study found that severe grief and depression were associated with higher levels of inflammatory proteins in the blood, potentially impairing the immune system. And depression, combined with the loss of a supporting partner, can make it hard for a person to keep up with their daily health needs. Similarly, chronic stress can alter hormone levels, impair digestion, and dysregulate the immune system. But while all these factors can reduce life expectancy, there's another condition where powerful emotions can directly endanger someone's life:
takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Also known as stress cardiomyopathy, or "broken heart syndrome," this was originally labeled by Japanese doctors in 1990, who named the condition after the Japanese word for an octopus trap. In takotsubo cardiomyopathy, the left ventricle- one of the heart's four chambers- pools with blood and balloons outward, giving it a distinctively takotsubo-like shape. And while most patients can recover over several weeks, roughly 5% will experience a potentially lethal cardiac arrest. While the exact cause of takotsubo cardiomyopathy is still being studied, the condition often appears after a sudden traumatic event. And since cases have been triggered by both shocking grief and unexpected happiness,
it's likely not the nature of the emotion that matters, but the intensity. Intense emotional events lead to a sudden increase in two hormones: epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, and norepinephrine. Both these hormones interact with beta-adrenergic receptors, which have a high concentration in the left ventricle. So during takotsubo cardiomyopathy, researchers believe epinephrine and norepinephrine flood the left ventricle, triggering it to contract rapidly and repeatedly. Within minutes, this activity exhausts the ventricle. And since it's unable to pump effectively, blood begins to pool.
This hormonal spike can also cause spasms in the blood vessels that supply the heart with oxygen and nutrients. So despite all the blood inside the heart, the muscle tissue itself may not be getting enough blood flow to function. The result of all this is something that often feels like a heart attack without actually being one. People undergoing takotsubo cardiomyopathy often experience intense chest pain and shortness of breath, even though their arteries aren't blocked like they would be during a heart attack. This similarity in symptoms also makes the condition difficult to diagnose, and it's easily confused for more common cardiac conditions.
Fortunately, the initial treatment for takotsubo cardiomyopathy and a heart attack is the same. Doctors may prescribe blood thinners to prevent clotting in the heart and beta blockers to slow the heart's contractions. Beyond that, patients might take blood thinners and blood pressure medications to protect their heart in the long run. But there currently aren't any specific treatments for takotsubo cardiomyopathy. We also don't know exactly when it will strike. The population that appears most at risk is postmenopausal women, perhaps because estrogen helps prevent cardiovascular disease, and menopause decreases estrogen production.
But obviously anyone can experience traumatic emotions. The good news is that in most cases patients make a full recovery. Because while our bodies are sensitive to the ups and downs of our emotions, they're also resilient. And much like a broken bone, even a broken heart can heal with time and care.
