What is broken heart syndrome?

Whether it is a break-up that comes out of the blue, being diagnosed with a serious illness or a terrible conflict: when life pulls the rug out from under our feet, that creates enormous stress.

It can also affect our heart muscle, preventing it from pumping properly. The left ventricle is affected and in medical terms, it is known as broken heart syndrome.

The symptoms are similar to those of a heart attack, says the German Heart Foundation.

Specifically, these include: sudden chest pain; shortness of breath; loss of consciousness. Nausea, dizziness and sweating may accompany these symptoms.

The rule is if you notice any of these signs, call an emergency doctor, say health advisers.

Even though the symptoms are very similar, in broken heart syndrome, unlike in a heart attack, the coronary arteries are neither narrowed nor blocked. Because both conditions look the same on an ECG, doctors perform a cardiac catheterisation to determine exactly what is wrong with the heart.

Broken heart syndrome is serious. Up to half of those affected can experience life-threatening complications, such as cardiac arrhythmia, heart failure or circulatory shock. That means rapid treatment is critical, the German Heart Foundation says.

According to the German Heart Foundation, 80 per cent to 90 per cent of those affected are women, mostly between the ages of 65 and 75. Broken heart syndrome is therefore much less common in men.

There are also differences in the triggers: while in women a "broken heart" is more often due to emotional stress, physical triggers are typical in men, including unusual exertion, surgery or lung disease.

Avoiding dangerous complications: This is what matters when broken heart syndrome is present. Patients are therefore monitored in intensive care for up to 72 hours. They are given blood-thinning medication to prevent blood clots in the left ventricle.

After four to five days, the heart usually starts pumping normally again, but it can also take longer.

If you have survived a broken heart, then now is a good idea to reduce stress as much as possible, as this will lower your risk of broken heart syndrome recurring. Between 4 per cent and 10 per cent of those affected experience relapses, says Germany's Heart Foundation.

Broken heart syndrome is also known as Takotsubo syndrome, a word taken from the name of a pot used in Japan to catch octopuses. With takotsubo syndrome, the left ventricle (heart chamber) narrows towards the top, looking larger and rounder at the bottom like a takotsubo pot.