Broken heart can cause same type of long-lasting damage as a heart attack

Severe emotional stress can prompt a sudden heart condition that poses the same sort of long-term damage as a heart attack, new research has found.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy – or “broken heart syndrome” - affects at least 3,000 people in the UK and is typically triggered by traumatic life events such as bereavement.

During an attack, the heart muscle weakens to the point where it can no longer function as effectively.

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