Time does not heal “broken heart syndrome”: scientists say

The researchers from Aberdeen University have found that time is not the best healer for those who suffer physically from a broken heart.

Stress-induced cardiomyopathy, or “broken heart syndrome” - which has symptoms similar to that of a heart attack but without artery blockage - can be caused by times of acute emotional stress such as the death of a loved one, a divorce or gut-wrenching break-up. The syndrome, also called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, mainly affects women and was first diagnosed in Japan in 1990.

Sufferers were reported to recover completely “within days or weeks,” however researchers at University of Aberdeen found that it can take longer than four months and with lasting effects.

Researchers found that patients are not able to take part in strenuous activity and unable to return to work due to swelling and instability of the heart, which causes difficulties in breathing and pumping blood.

The university plans to follow up on the subjects to see if any of them make a full recovery, in what timeframe and if an underlying health issue could have contributed to the onset.

 Earlier scientists at St George's, University of London, found that 16 per 10,000 patients over 60 suffered a heart attack or stroke within 30 days of a partner's death.

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