Why you really can have a broken heart
'Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in the US say that hearing shocking news, such as learning of the death of a loved one, really can break your heart. They've shed some new light and good news on a condition that is known to particularly affect older women; the sudden onset of what appears to be a classic heart attack following severe emotional stress.
The mechanisms are apparently quite different from other heart attacks, probably due to direct effects of stress hormones on the beating heart cells, and the good news is that, unlike most heart attacks, the patients generally make a complete recovery without any permanent damage to the heart.'
Professor Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director, British Heart Foundation
More help and advice
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