Broken heart syndrome is a condition that can cause rapid and reversive heart muscle weakness, also known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy. It was first identified in 1990 in Japan.
It is named for an octopus trap used for centuries in Japan, with a narrow neck and a relatively wide base that makes it easy for octopuses to enter but not leave.
Patients with the disease have an unusual swelling in the heart's left ventricle, giving the heart a similar appearance to the trap.
Two kinds of stress — emotional or physical — often cause broken heart syndrome. But while most people with this condition experience a stressful event, up to 30 percent of patients have no identifiable trigger at the time of their initial symptoms.
Broken heart syndrome appears to be a condition that comes on suddenly and resolves quickly. If you are a person who frequently has symptoms of chest pain or shortness of breath when under significant stress, you should be evaluated by your doctor. If your symptoms are chronic, it is unlikely that you have broken heart syndrome.
Middle-aged and older women are being diagnosed with broken heart syndrome more frequently – up to 10 times more often – than younger women or men of any age, a new study suggests.
The research also suggests that the rare condition has become more common, and the incidence has been rising steadily since well before the COVID-19 pandemic.
