How a broken heart really CAN kill you

Condition is triggered as brain reacts to grief PAUL THOMAS IS AWAY

IT has long been known that you can die of a broken heart.

Now scientists have solved the mystery of how sudden grief or stress can kill.

They found that traumatic events trigger part of the brain that controls the heart muscle. The increased activity in nerve cells in the amygdala cause one of the heart’s chambers, the left ventricle, to change shape.

This weakens the heart, damaging its ability to pump blood around the body. It can result in takotsubo cardiomyopathy ( TTS), a condition also known as broken heart syndrome, leading to chest pains and breathlessness.

In some cases, it causes the heart to stop beating. Most sufferers recover but about 4 per cent die. Some people’s hearts will permanently change shape and they may continue to experience symptoms such as tiredness, chest pain and lack of energy.

TTS was first identified in

Japan in 1990 and takes its name from a Japanese fisherman’s takotsubo – octopus trap – which the shape of the damaged left ventricle resembles. It is usually triggered by severe emotional reactions such as grief, anger or fear but can even follow happy or joyful events.

The US study, published today in the European Heart Journal, is the first to reveal how the condition is linked to increased activity in the amygdala, causing the release of stress hormones and inflammatory cells which can damage the heart.

Importantly, it suggests that lowering this stress-related brain activity through drugs or therapy could help to reduce the risk of developing heart problems. US scientists analysed brain scans of 104 patients going through a stressful life event. Of these, 41 were diagnosed with TTS.

They had higher stress-related activity in the amygdala compared with those who did not develop TTS. The greater the stress-related activity in the amygdala, the greater the risk of developing the syndrome.

Patients have developed TTS after bereavement, a job loss, a divorce or break-up, or the death of a pet. There are also reports of it after a happy life event, such as winning the lottery or getting married.

Professor James Leiper, associate medical director at the

British Heart Foundation, said: ‘Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a serious condition, but the cause has been a mystery.

‘Stress comes in many forms and we need further research to unpick the biological processes responsible to understand how stress might increase the risk of developing the condition.

‘Finding better ways to cope with stress can help reduce your risk of developing heart

‘Better ways to cope with stress’

disease and there are several ways to do this. Exercise releases endorphins which trigger a positive feeling in your body and helps alleviate stress.

‘Getting a good night’s sleep, and trying relaxing activities such as meditation, mindfulness, yoga or pilates, can all help to lower stress levels.

‘It is helpful to avoid caffeine in the afternoons and evenings, along with alcohol, as these are stimulants and may prevent you sleeping or interrupt your sleep cycle.’