Men Are Twice as Likely to Die From This Stress-Related Heart Issue

Stress hits everyone. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, a job, or the end of a relationship, dealing with grief is never easy. But for men, the stakes may be even higher. Research shows that men are twice as likely to die from takotsubo cardiomyopathy—a stress-induced heart condition better known as “broken heart syndrome”—compared to women.

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association examined nearly 200,000 U.S. adults from 2016 to 2020. Researchers found that although the heart condition was more common among women, the death rate among them was half that of men at 5.5%, compared to 11.2% for men.

“Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a serious condition with a substantial risk of death and severe complications,” said study author M. Reza Movahed, M.D., Ph.D., an interventional cardiologist and clinical professor of medicine at the University of Arizona’s Sarver Heart Center in Tucson, Arizona

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Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, aka broken heart syndrome, is a heart condition most often brought on by extreme emotions or stressful situations. While it generally occurs temporarily, people can continue to feel unwell for long periods of time. Symptoms include shortness of breath and chest pain. 

During the study period, major complications caused 35.9% of participants to die from congestive heart failure, 20.7% from atrial fibrillation, 6.6% from cardiogenic shock, 5.3% from stroke, and 3.4% from cardiac arrest.

“The health care team needs to carefully review coronary angiograms that show no significant coronary disease with classic appearance of left ventricular motion, suggesting any subtypes of stress-induced cardiomyopathy," Movahed said in a press release. "These patients should be monitored for serious complications and treated promptly." 

He also adds that some complications, such as embolic stroke, could be prevented with early detection and treatment. 

Movahed added that further research is needed to fully understand the mortality discrepancy between males and females and how to best manage patients with this condition.