Broken Heart Syndrome
Broken heart syndrome (takotsubo cardiomyopathy) is a temporary condition where the heart muscle becomes weakened, often mimicking the symptoms of a heart attack. It usually occurs after intense physical or emotional stress. Most patients recover fully within weeks with supportive treatment. Broken Heart Syndrome resembles a heart attack, but the causes of the symptoms are different. Broken Heart Syndrome is triggered by intense mental or physical stress, such as losing a loved one or experiencing a traumatic accident, which causes stress hormones to temporarily weaken the heart muscle and produce symptoms similar to a heart attack. In contrast, a heart attack occurs when blood flow to a part of the heart muscle is blocked, which can cause permanent damage or even death due to insufficient blood supply. This leads to symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath.