Movies and literature often feature heroines whose hearts are “broken” by love. And a new study reported on the HealthDay website suggests that “heartbreak” syndrome, an extreme physical condition or emotional stress caused by momentary changes in the heart, occurs overwhelmingly in women compared to men. Its symptoms are similar to a heart attack, triggering chest pain, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat and generalized weakness.
Researchers found that the sudden loss of a loved one, a scary medical diagnosis, a car accident or even a surprise was 7.5 times more common in women than in men, and 2.9 times more common in women over age 55 than in younger women.
Dr. Stacy of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York said “heartbreak” syndrome, known clinically as SUBO cardiomyopathy, has symptoms similar to a heart attack, triggering chest pain, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat and generalized weakness, and is treatable, usually resolving within a week, although In rare cases, it can be fatal. The study analyzed a 2007 U.S. national database and found about 6,230 cases of heartbreak syndrome, more than 80 percent were women, about one-third of patients were between the ages of 50 and 65, 58 percent were even older than 65, and women older than 55 in developing countries had a 9.5 times higher risk of getting the disease than men. Experts believe that hormonal differences between men and women and changes in coronary arteries may be contributing factors.