I started this blog in an effort to help share my personal feelings and thoughts after losing my cat Dusty after almost 14 years together. Of course, like any pet parent, when she passed away, I was downright devastated. Your life is forever changed and your heart is broken. You learn with time, how to live with a hole in your heart. Which brings me to a topic that I recently saw on the news.
A woman whose dog passed away suffered from what she thought was a heart attack days after her dog’s death. After going to the hospital, doctors discovered that she didn’t suffer a heart attack but rather had Broken Heart Syndrome. So, you are probably asking yourself, “Is this real?” In a word, yes. But what exactly is Broken heart syndrome? How is it different from a heart attack? Why do people experience this? What should we know? Let me break it down.
What is Broken Heart Syndrome?
According to Heart.org, “Broken heart syndrome, also called stress-induced cardiomyopathy or takotsubo cardiomyopathy, can strike even if you’re healthy… a part of your heart temporarily enlarges and doesn’t pump well, while the rest of your heart functions normally or with even more forceful contractions.”
How does this differ from a heart attack?
According to www.heart.org, “…unlike a heart attack, there’s no evidence of blocked heart arteries in broken heart syndrome.
*Some signs and symptoms of broken heart syndrome differ from those of heart attack. In broken heart syndrome, symptoms occur suddenly after extreme emotional or physical stress. Here are some other differences:
- EKG (a test that records the heart’s electric activity) results don’t look the same as the EKG results for a person having a heart attack.
- Blood tests show no signs of heart damage.
- Tests show no signs of blockages in the coronary arteries.
- Tests show ballooning and unusual movement of the lower left heart chamber (left ventricle).
- Recovery time is quick, usually within days or weeks (compared with the recovery time of a month or more for a heart attack).
*Source: www.heart.org
A quick look…
Check out this short video clip here
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0_3NJWgdlY
What are the Risk factors?
According to the mayoclinic.org, “There are a number of known risk factors for broken heart syndrome, including:
- The condition affects women far more often than men.
- It appears that most people who have broken heart syndrome are older than 50.
- A history of a neurological condition.People who have neurological disorders, such as a head injury or a seizure disorder (epilepsy) have a greater risk of broken heart syndrome.
- A previous or current psychiatric disorder.If you’ve had disorders, such as anxiety or depression, you probably have a higher risk of broken heart syndrome.”
What are the triggers?
In some cases, triggers are unknown however in examples of existing cases known publicly, this syndrome is triggered by an emotionally stressful event such as death of a pet, a loved one, divorce or some other life changing occurrence.
Woman Hospitalized With Broken Heart After Her Beloved Dog Dies
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5GCuO6d-8M
What are the symptoms to look for?
Symptoms to look for mimic those of a heart attack such as:
- Chest Pain
- Shortness of breath
If you have these symptoms or anything unusual, I would recommend calling your doctor right away. It’s better to error on the side of caution when it comes to your health.
How long does it last? Do people recover?
MayoClinic.org states, “In rare cases, broken heart syndrome is fatal. However, most who experience broken heart syndrome quickly recover and don’t have long-lasting effects.”
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Originally published Nov 2017. Updated July 2020
In conclusion
Dealing with loss and grief has taught me many things. Learning that my own pain and the heartbreak of others can actually escalate to the point of having this syndrome has taught me what we feel really does hit us to the core of our being and science can prove it.
Honestly and truly, we don’t need science to know what we already feel in our intuition. Heartbreak is real but with time and healing, we get through it. However, if by chance you or anyone you know, feels like your health is at risk, after experiencing a traumatic event like pet loss or something else, don’t hesitate to call your doctor immediately and reach out for help.
Have you heard of this condition before? Do you know anyone that has suffered from this? Comment and share your thoughts below.
If you enjoyed this post and are looking for more resources and content related to pet loss, check out a few of my other posts below:
5 Online Resources for Pet loss support
10 Things I’m thankful for after pet loss
What do I do with my pet’s belongings after they are gone?
8 Resources for healing after pet loss
I had a grandmother who died tragically in an accident while coming home from Florida. The camper jacknifed & she was thrown out the window. The camper landed on top of her. My grandfather blamed himself for this. Family explained to him it was just an accident but he still blamed himself as he was the driver. He passed away a few months later of what we believe to be a broken heart. A couple months later their dog (a pug dog) passed away. We believe he had a broken heart also from losing his two masters so suddenly. I really believe you can have a broken heart so bad that you give up & can’t go on.
Susan,
Wow! I’m so sorry to learn this news about your grandmother and even more that your grandfather blamed himself. I hear you and do agree, sometimes some people’s heartbreak reaches to the depth of their soul there is no returning from it. Such a shame. The only silver lining is your grandfather probably finally found his peace in the afterlife being reunited with his love and their dog too. Thanks for sharing your personal story.
I am a scientist and although I believe in the power of science to explain things, I feel we should let grief take its course. Broken heart syndrome is just a name for acute stress/loss related bodily dysfunction and there is nothing one can do to stop it, specially if the loss is that of a loved one. We can only hope to heal with more love and get some me time to rejuvenate.
Paroma,
Agree. Grief has no time limit. And it’s no wonder that many adopt again after time has passed because of LOVE. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
I’ve always heard the stories of people dying from a broken heart, but never had any idea there was scientific evidence behind it. I know depression can cause a lot of physical ailments, so this makes a lot of sense. Losing a fur child who had lived with me almost 16 years was one of the hardest things I went through 6 years ago. Praline is still in my heart and I feel her presence in the house a lot lately.
Paula,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I completely understand. I find I’m definitely more sentimental around Christmas as it was the last holidays spent with Dusty. I’m sure Praline is around you always. The love remains and I bet you really feel it when she’s around in spirit.
I have heard of a Broken Heart but did not realize that there is a scientific description for it also. I have experienced these symptoms as my mother was dying but I thought they were simply caused by stress and anxiety…it is a terrible feeling and at the time I thought I might be having a heart attack…so yes, it can happen.
Amelia,
Well said.
Wow, I had never heard of this before. Great information, especially the videos. I have heard of many spouses lasting less than a year after the other dies and knew of one couple that died within a week of each other, but I had not heard of broken heart syndrome.
Sandy,
I was in the same boat. I had heard of many stories of instances when a spouse dies and the other goes soon after. Even with pets. But now science finally has a name for it. Interesting stuff. Happy to share.
I’ve heard of dying from a broken heart but never paid much attention to it until recently. A friend of the family lost his grandmother to a long illness. A week later his grandfather passed away, completely unexpectedly. They were married for over 50 years, I suspect it may have been Broken Heart Syndrome.
Thanks for helping people deal with their grief on your blog. It isn’t an easy subject, but one we all need to face.
Beth,
Sorry about your loss of the friend of the family. I think you are spot on. 50 years is a lifetime…literally. Thanks for the kind words as well. I hope people find healing and inspiration through my posts and experiences.
It amazes me what we are learning about health these days! I had no idea Broken Heart Syndrome was a thing! Spreading awareness – as you are here – is key to making sure we all are armed with knowledge and get checked if we see signs!
Thank you for this!
Joely,
Happy to share. Interesting isn’t it? We all have known heartbreak at some point in our lives. It’s so interesting to see the science behind it though.
Broken heart syndrome does sometimes happen when couples have been married a long time. After you’ve spent a lifetime with someone, it can be a crushing blow to realize they are gone. Learning to continue living without them can be overwhelming. Some pets live longer than some marriages last, so it doesn’t surprise me that a person could die of a broken heart over the loss of a cherished pet.
Lori,
Well said!
Wow! I’m almost at a loss for words. This is such powerful information that I’m sure too many are unaware of. I got the chills when I saw Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds.
Thank you. I know the first time I heard of this happening it was hearing of a mother who heard her son passed away and the mother died within the same week. So sad. Heartbreak is real.
What a beautiful and heartfelt post. I have read of cases of long married couples where one spouse dies right after the other, because the surviving one can’t live without their partner. I wasn’t aware there was an “official” name for it but I certainly believe it exists. On the one hand it’s a blessing to share that depth of love for someone where you literally feel your heart breaks, yet scary at the same time. Thanks for sharing, I’m sure it will help many people who have lost a loved one gain a better understanding of what’s going on.
Hindy,
Thank you so much. Happy to share. Hope it helps inform and validate people’s feelings at the very least.
This is such a fabulous post! I knew about Broken Heart Syndrome, I find it fascinating but not at all surprising. When Carrie Fisher died only a day after her beloved daughter I knew it was Broken Heart Syndrome as soon as I heard about her death, to me there could be no other explanation. I have a relative right now that I fear will suffer this same fate if and when another critically ill relative passes away. I worry about them both. Stress can be a powerful adversary. Thanks for writing this and sharing this great video.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Thanks for your insightful comment Cathy. I appreciate it. I totally agree with you. When I saw that news story about the death of Carrie Fisher I came to the same conclusion. I pray that your relatives will make a turnaround and/or at the very least have the support needed if that time comes.