Study confirms dying from a 'broken heart' is a real thing and who's most at risk

A study has confirmed people really can die of a broken heart - and certain people are most at risk.

Research has proved grief can be quite literally heartbreaking, as when a loved one dies, we're more likely to feel physical heartache that can make us ill or even turn fatal if left untreated.

'Broken heart syndrome' even has a name, takotsubo cardiomyopathy, which the Cleveland Clinic describes as a 'sudden weakness in your heart muscle' which occurs 'right after a physically or emotionally stressful event'.

Our stress hormones, like adrenaline, can prevent the heart from properly contracting, leaving it weakened and unable to function as normal.

The condition can last anywhere between a few days to a matter of weeks.

The syndrome can be triggered by an emotional or physically stressful event (Getty Images)

Keeping our tickers ticking well is clearly important, as medics warn it's the most important muscle in our bodies - and a weakened or stressed out heart affects the entire body, effectively reducing the supply of oxygen to our cells and shutting down the key components that give us life.

According to the medical advice, 'broken heart syndrome' occurs in about two percent of people who go to hospital for a suspected heart attack.

However, researchers believe the number could be higher as providers don't always recognize the condition.

Women are more likely to be affected by takotsubo cardiomyopathy, who make up around 89 percent of reported cases.

Yet a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association has found men are most at risk of dying from it, at more than double the rate.

The researchers note that this is because men and women suffer from it differently, with women more likely to be 'triggered by emotional stress' while 'physical stress' is more likely in men.

The team observed almost 2,000 patients over the age of 18 who had been diagnosed with the condition for a period of four years, from 2016 to 2020.

They found the mortality rate of men dying from a 'broken heart' was 11.2 percent, compared to only 5.5 percent among the women patients.

Grief and a broken heart can affect our entire bodies (Getty Images)

Still, it notes that females are more likely to present with takotsubo cardiomyopathy, noting that while the 'predominance is not fully understood,' hormonal changes, especially in older menopausal women, 'might play a role'.

As for why men are more likely to die, the researchers concluded they were at increases risk of suffering other complications brought on by the condition, like irregular heartbeat, cardiac arrest, congestive heart failure and stroke.

Dr Ilan Wittstein, a cardiologist at John Hopkins Medicine, told NBC News: "Men may be more at risk for dying and having bad outcomes because they’re less susceptible to begin with. So it takes a more dangerous trigger to precipitate the syndrome.”

The medic warns people with underlying health issues, that particularly relate to the heart like high blood pressure or high cholesterol are also more at risk of dying from a broken heart.

While there's few ways to stop the incident, doctors say a healthy lifestyle, such as regular exercise and getting enough sleep, can lower the chances of developing heart problems.