Broken Heart Syndrome: Stress Cardiomyopathy Can Cause Death

On Valentine's Day, the last thing you want to be doing is suffering from the loss of a loved one or a recent break up. More than just emotional pain, there can actually be physical and mental stress associated with this suffering.  And now, studies show that heart problems associated with these types of stress can even be deadly. 

Each year, more than two million Americans walk down the isle according to reports. Some experts conclude that as many as 91 percent of married Americans are happily married. With statistics floating around about half of marriages ending in divorce, it would appear that these rumors are simply not true.

New research shows that marriage can actually help you survive a health crisis. However, losing the love of your life can cause some serious health problems--especially those involving your heart.

Researcher Kathleen King has helped uncover another mystery: Happily married people who have heart surgery are three-times as likely to be alive 15 years down the road than unmarried people.

 "We were really surprised at the result," says Kathleen King, RN, Ph.D., a researcher from the University of Rochester Medical Center. "We really did not expect the difference to be that big."

And happiness is certainly an important aspect of physical well being.

"Eighty three percent of the women who were highly satisfied with their marriage were still alive compared to 29 percent of the women who were not satisfied with their marriage," explained King.

Broken heart syndrome, also called stress cardiomyopathy, can also be brought on by sudden good news like winning the lottery. It is most common among postmenopausal women. High blood pressure and migraines also appear to be risk factors for the condition.

It is more common than most people realize and mostly seen in post-menopausal women, or women ages 60 and older, who often have some sort of stressful event in their life, regardless of whether it's an emotional or physical stressor according to reports.

Symptoms of a broken heart syndrome include chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness and an irregular heartbeat according to the Mayo Clinic. Potential triggers include abuse, death of a loved one, an upsetting medical diagnosis, financial difficulty, a surprise party, public speaking, a car accident, major surgery or an asthma attack.

Breakups, the loss of a loved one or a traumatizing experiencing can all be stressful. So when it comes to matters of the heart--quite literally--make sure to go to your doctor if you're having any trouble.