CBS News (5/14, Moniuszko ) reports a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association suggests that “men are twice as likely to die from the stress-related heart condition commonly called ‘broken heart syndrome’ compared to women.” Formally known as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, the syndrome is “associated with severe emotional distress or stressful events, such as the death of a loved one,” with symptoms including “chest discomfort, shortness of breath, heart palpitations and arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat.” Researchers “analyzed nearly 200,000 U.S. adults with data from 2016 to 2020” and found that “despite the condition being more common among women, the death rate among them was 5.5%, compared to 11.2% for men. The cause of the mortality discrepancy is not fully understood, the authors said, adding it could be due to hormonal differences or physical stress being a more common trigger for men than emotional stress.”
Related Links:
— “Men more likely to die of “broken heart syndrome” compared to women, study finds,” Sara Moniuszko, CBS News, May 14, 2025