As we have learned from the recent deaths of Debbie Reynolds and her daughter Carrie Fisher, broken heart syndrome is a very real, sometimes fatal condition.

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners." - Isaiah 61:1

All of the galaxies far, far away were mourning the sudden passing of Princess Leia when Carrie Fisher died from a heart attack. Her mom, Debbie Reynolds, was so profoundly affected by her daughter's death that prior to her own health crisis she told her son how much she wanted to be with Carrie. Some are speculating that Debbie Reynolds died from a 'broken heart'.

So the question we must ask ourselves is can a person die from a broken heart? A brief scan of the professional literature concludes 'yes'. According to one group of scientist from John Hopkin's University, they discovered, " that sudden emotional stress can also result in severe but reversible heart muscle weakness that mimics a classic heart attack. Patients with this condition, called stress cardiomyopathy but known colloquially as “broken heart” syndrome, are often misdiagnosed with a massive heart attack when, indeed, they have suffered from a days-long surge in adrenalin (epinephrine) and other stress hormones that temporarily “stun” the heart.

The researchers went on to explain that In the Hopkins study, to be published in The New England Journal of Medicine online Feb. 10, the research team found that some people may respond to sudden, overwhelming emotional stress by releasing large amounts of catecholamines (notably adrenalin and noradrenalin, also called epinephrine and norepinephrine) into the bloodstream, along with their breakdown products and small proteins produced by an excited nervous system. These chemicals can be temporarily toxic to the heart, effectively stunning the muscle and producing symptoms similar to a typical heart attack, including chest pain, fluid in the lungs, shortness of breath and heart failure. These researchers point to a similar study in Japan that reach the same conclusion.

In another report, Dr. Harmony Reynolds ( no relation to Debbie Reynolds) she describes" the term broken-heart syndrome because it's often a severe emotional stress like the death of a loved one or some very upsetting news," Reynolds said. "Almost having an accident, we've seen a couple of patients like that."

However, it can also be triggered by physical stress. "We had someone who went white water rafting and she had gotten it. It was just much more physical activity than she was accustomed to," Reynolds said.
Sometimes it's a combination of emotional and physical stress, and sometimes there's no trigger at all.
The symptoms can last weeks to months and can sometimes prove fatal. The patients who survive still have a higher risk of death, averaging 5 percent per year.

In another article on Web MD, there was the story of Lisa. Lisa Wysocky was having a bad week even before she landed in the emergency room one afternoon in July 2009.

The previous day she had learned that her adult son, Colby, had died of an overdose after struggling with mental illness. She then spent the night on her bedroom floor with pain that she suspected was from a heart attack. But she was too numb with grief to seek help immediately.

Once the Nashville, Tenn., resident went to the hospital, doctors began running tests. They told Lisa that instead of a heart attack, she actually had a different type of heart problem called stress cardiomyopathy. This problem -- which is also dubbed "broken heart syndrome" -- may be the real issue in some cases that initially appear to be a heart attack.

Understanding broken heart syndrome requires understanding how the body reacts to stress. Broken heart syndrome is also known as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. The weakening of the heart muscle may be triggered by emotional stress, such as the death of a loved one, a break-up, or constant anxiety. This leads to one of the common names, Broken Heart Syndrome.[4] Stress cardiomyopathy is now a well-recognized cause of acute heart failure, lethal ventricular arrhythmias, and ventricular rupture.

To stay healthy, it’s important to find ways to reduce stress and cope with particularly upsetting situations. Learning how to manage stress, relax, and cope with problems can improve your emotional and physical health.

Having supportive people in your life with whom you can share your feelings or concerns can help relieve stress. Physical activity, medicine, and relaxation therapy also can help relieve stress. You may want to consider taking part in a stress management program.

If there is ever a reason to process your grief after the death of a loved one, it is the knowledge of this syndrome. To avoid your emotions and physical stress symptoms from stress following the loss of a loved one can lead to your own death if it isn't properly treated.

My conscious decision in the days following our daughter's death to continue going to church and maintaining our friendships, as well as to see a professional trained in traumatic grief, I think, kept our hearts healthy enough to avoid many of the symptoms associated with broken heart syndrome.

I encouraged everyone to tell their doctors about any losses of loved ones, and if you are experiencing symptoms of a heart attack ask your doctor to run some tests so you can be appropriately treated. Finally, I encourage those experiencing the loss of a loved one to seek out a professional therapist who may be able to help you process the emotions from your loss and come up with a plan that will help you better manage your stress following loss.

Finally, I've learned that when I'm under emotional and physical stress to draw on the power of the holy spirit and pray for God's guidance on my journey. He wants to walk with you and talk with you even when you are experiencing deep profound stress.