“Broken heart syndrome” sounds poignant and poetic, but in reality, it’s a real and sometimes deadly condition. And while women are more likely to be diagnosed with it, men are more likely to die from it.
Formally known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, the syndrome mimics a heart attack—causing chest pain, shortness of breath, and heart muscle dysfunction—but without the clogged arteries. It’s typically triggered by a sudden surge of stress hormones after an emotional or physical event: a breakup, the death of a loved one, a major illness, or surgery.
According to a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, men hospitalized with broken heart syndrome die at more than twice the rate of women. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 200,000 cases between 2016 and 2020. Around 11% of men died compared to just 5% of women.
“It seems to be a consistent finding that men don’t get takotsubo syndrome as much, but when they do, they do worse,” said Dr. Harmony Reynolds, a cardiologist at NYU Langone Health.
What is Broken Heart Syndrome?
So what’s going on? Part of it may be that men tend to experience the condition after more severe physical stress—like a stroke or surgery—whereas women often develop it following emotional trauma. “The people with emotional stressors actually do quite well,” said Dr. Ilan Wittstein of Johns Hopkins Medicine. “So it takes a more dangerous trigger to precipitate the syndrome [in men].”
Social support may also play a role. “If the stress is not gone, that’s probably going to continue to harm the heart,” said study author Dr. Mohammad Movahed, adding that men may have fewer outlets to manage that stress.
Despite decades of research, the condition still isn’t fully understood. Some scientists suspect certain people are just more vulnerable—due to things like high blood pressure, cholesterol, or even underlying vessel abnormalities. Estrogen may help protect women, but the hormonal link remains unclear. “We have not gotten there yet,” Reynolds said.
What is clear is that treatment options are limited. “We have not found anything so far—any medication, any specific treatment—that can reduce complications or reduce mortality,” Movahed said.
And because broken heart syndrome presents like a classic heart attack, doctors urge anyone with chest pain or shortness of breath to go straight to the hospital.
“You can’t tell the difference until you get tests,” Reynolds said. “Don’t wait it out.”
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