Do I Have Broken Heart Syndrome?

What is broken heart syndrome?

Broken heart syndrome is a heart condition caused by extreme emotional trauma, excitement, and stressful situations—although physical illness or surgery may also trigger the condition. It’s most often a temporary, treatable condition with a relatively quick recovery time, although anyone experiencing broken heart syndrome may experience worsening symptoms without treatment.

Symptoms

People with broken heart syndrome often think they're having a heart attack because it can be very difficult to differentiate the symptoms of each. Broken heart syndrome mimics the symptoms of a heart attack, including:

• Severe chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Weakening of the heart’s left ventricle
  
  

Broken heart syndrome directly affects the heart, temporarily interrupting the way the heart pumps blood—although the rest of the heart keeps working normally. Depending on the severity of the condition, it can sometimes cause the heart to contract harder, and the chest pains associated with broken heart syndrome feel similar to a heart attack.

Additional symptoms of broken heart syndrome include:

• Irregular heartbeats (also known as arrhythmias)
• Low blood pressure (also called hypotension)
• Heart palpitations (the sensation that your heart is pounding, beating fast, or skipping a beat)
• Fainting or dizziness (also known as syncope)
  
  

Broken heart syndrome may even be misdiagnosed as a heart attack because the symptoms are so similar, but there’s one main difference between the two: heart attacks show signs of blocked heart arteries, while broken heart syndrome does not.

Possible Complications

Complications can arise from broken heart syndrome, especially when left untreated. Although it’s important to remember that complications related to broken heart syndrome are very rare, it’s possible to develop additional conditions such as:

• Pulmonary edema (a buildup of fluid in your lungs)
• Rupture of the left ventricle of your heart
• Blockage of blood flow from your heart’s left ventricle
• Blot clot in the wall of your left ventricle
• Heart failure
• Heart block (when the signal that controls your heartbeat is partially or totally blocked)
• Cardiogenic shock (when your heart can’t pump enough blood to keep up with your body’s demand)
  
  

Diagnosis & Treatment

A doctor can diagnose broken heart syndrome after several tests. In addition to a regular physical exam, your healthcare provider will also review your medical history and likely order the following tests:

• Blood test (to check for an enzyme from damaged heart muscle cells)
• EKG (electrocardiogram)
• Coronary angiography
• Echocardiography
• Chest x-ray
• Heart MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
• Ventriculogram (which shows how efficiently your left ventricle pumps blood)
  
  

Most people diagnosed with broken heart syndrome make a full recovery with medication. There’s no straightforward “cure” for broken heart syndrome, but the treatments and medicines available can essentially help the heart heal and operate normally once more. Many people feel better right away, within hours or days after getting treatment for broken heart syndrome.

Common medicines used to treat the condition include:

• Aspirin, which improves circulation and prevents blood clots
• ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors or ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers), which lower blood pressure and decrease inflammation
• Beta-blockers, which can slow your heart rate
• Diuretics, which can decrease fluid buildup
  
  

If you’re diagnosed and treated for broken heart syndrome, your healthcare provider will likely also want you to get another echocardiogram 4 to 6 weeks after the initial diagnosis to ensure that everything is back to normal.

Prevention

Although broken heart syndrome can’t be prevented, you can take steps to minimize your physical and emotional stress. Try relaxation techniques such as:

• Yoga
• Meditation
• Journaling
• Mindfulness exercises
• Aromatherapy
• Deep breathing exercises
• Professional counseling
  
  

Practicing healthy habits and regular self-care in your daily life can also help keep your stress at bay, including:

• Eating a nutritious diet
• Getting exercise at least 5 times a week
• Getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep nightly
• Attending regular medical checkups and screenings with your doctor
• Avoiding tobacco products, excessive alcohol use, and recreational drug use
  
  

Heart Attacks vs. Panic Attacks vs. Broken Heart Syndrome

Broken heart syndrome, heart attacks, and panic attacks can manifest with similar symptoms, so it's important to review the core symptoms of each:

• Heart attack: A blockage to the heart often characterized by chest pain, upper body discomfort, heartburn, fatigue, nausea, and/or shortness of breath. Heart attacks require immediate medical attention.
• Panic attack: An episode of severe anxiety often characterized by symptoms like a pounding heart, chest pain, shortness of breath, and/or nausea. While panic attacks themselves aren't life-threatening, it's important to see a doctor when you think you might be experiencing one—that way, they can rule out a more serious health concern, like a heart attack.
• Broken heart syndrome: A heart condition caused by intense emotions (like emotional trauma or severe stress), characterized by symptoms like chest pain and shortness of breath. While not life-threatening like a heart attack, it's still important to get your symptoms checked out by a doctor because of the potential overlap.
  
  

Key Takeaways

The most important thing to remember about broken heart syndrome is that it does heal. Death from broken heart syndrome is extremely rare (happening in roughly 1% of cases). Overall, broken heart syndrome has a high recovery rate and doesn’t usually result in any permanent damage to the heart.