A broken heart can put you in hospital and women are NINE times more likely to suffer than men

Source: Daily Mail

• Condition brought on by sudden or prolonged stress can lead to heart failure
  
• Tests show dramatic changes in rhythm and blood substances typical of a heart attack, but no artery blockages.

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The end of a romance or the death of a loved one really can cause the heart to break – and women are the most likely to suffer.

Research shows that a shock or emotional trauma can trigger the symptoms of a heart attack or other cardiac problem.

Women are up to nine times more likely to suffer ‘broken heart syndrome’, the first large-scale study of the condition has concluded.

Doctors say the classic case involves the death of a husband triggering a rush of adrenaline and other stress hormones that cause the heart’s main pumping chamber to balloon suddenly and malfunction. 

Tests show dramatic changes in rhythm and blood substances  typical of a heart attack, but none of the artery blockages that  typically cause one.

Most patients recover with no lasting damage, but 1 per cent of cases prove fatal.

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